Cobar base for Australia wide training
Wednesday April 8, 2009
Australia’s three newest Enterprise Facilitators Felix Ryan (Western Sydney), Linda Blackwood (Katherine, NT) and Mark Workman (Cobar).
Cobar was last week the training base for Australia’s three newest Enterprise Facilitators, with Felix Ryan from Auburn (Western Sydney) and Linda Blackwood from Katherine in the Northern Territory, joining Cobar’s Enterprise Facilitator, Mark Workman for a week long training session with Ernesto Sirolli.
Mr Sirolli first introduced the concept of Enterprise Facilitation, a method to help develop small business within local communities, to Australia in Esperance almost 23 years ago, a project which is still running.
He has since gone on to establish Enterprise Facilitation in numerous countries around the world including the United States and Great Britain.
“Enterprise Facilitation in Cobar is unique,” Mr Sirolli said.
“This is the first time the concept has been supported by a mining company and Cobar has the support of all three of its mines.”
Part of the week’s training involved “mock interviews” with Cobar residents who had a dream of starting their own businesses.
Katherine’s facilitator, Ms Blackwood said the training had given her a clear picture of how the concept would work in her community.
“I can see a lot of similarities between Katherine and Cobar.
“Both are small towns that have a major regional centre within 300km where people will go to shop.”
“I’ll be working with a whole lot of small communities and the people support each other in the same kind of way,” Auburn’s facilitator Mr Ryan said.
“It’s this community support that makes Enterprise Facilitation work.”
Cobar’s facilitator Mr Workman said he is keen to meet and start working with Cobar people who need a hand to turn their business “dream” into a reality.
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