The Torres Strait Regional Authority’s (TSRA) Economic Development Programme is set to launch its new You Sabe Business workshops for the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area communities in April 2019.

The You Sabe Business workshops will replace the former Into Business workshops that the TSRA delivered in partnership with Indigenous Business Australia.

Delivered locally by the TSRA, the purpose of the You Sabe Business workshops is to encourage and support the development of business skills for local Indigenous business owners and entrepreneurs.

Expressions of interest will open for the period 25 February to 3 March 2019, with limited spaces available.

The TSRA Chairperson, Mr Napau Pedro Stephen AM, said “there is a high demand from local Torres Strait Island and Aboriginal people for Business training and we are committed to providing this assistance.”

“Since 2013, the TSRA Economic Development Programme has supported local entrepreneurs and business owners in the region to participate in training to improve their business readiness,” Mr Stephen said.

“The ultimate goal is to increase the number and capability of Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people in the region to manage commercially viable businesses, with the flow on effect of improving the employment and economic wealth of the Torres Strait region.

“The workshops provide a local service that facilitates Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people’s successful completion of business training in the Region,” he said.

Participants will learn about general business principles and explore business ideas, get tips on how to run or better run a business and how to reach the market.

They will also be required to conduct research in to the strength of their business proposal whilst being supported and guided to develop a business plan and cash flow to determine the viability of their business idea.

The aim is to consider the participants ‘Business Readiness’, including their skills, capabilities and suitability for business ownership.

The workshops will be run locally by an experienced facilitator and include a series of face-to-face workshops, research and independent tasks.

A panel of local Indigenous Business owners at varying levels of maturity, industries and scale of operation will be invited as guest speakers in the workshops. Participants will hear stories firsthand from local Indigenous business owners on their success and challenges in business.

Expressions of interest will open 25 February to 3 March 2019.

For Expression of Interest forms please contact the TSRA Economic Development Programme on (07) 4069 0700 or Email: economic@tsra.gov.au

Pictured: Alonza Ahwang of Ahwang Ware Torres Strait Scaffolding