Read how different sized business enterprises can participate in community-based collaborations facilitated by BacLinks
The small enterprise - Black Dog Promotions
The medium sized business (<100 employees) – WHK Day Neilson
Large business – Alcoa World Alumina Australia
The small enterprise - Black Dog Promotions
Btennan Ryan, Director of Black Dog Promotions, at the Workplace Big Day Out
Brennan Ryan, Director, Black Dog Promotions, was approached by BacLinks around 4 years ago to make a contribution to the Workplace Big Day Out. He was initially reluctant and like many other small businessmen he didn’t have a lot of easy cash resources at the time. However, after finding out more about the BacLinks program, and how differently the program approached meeting community needs, he decided it was worthwhile being involved.
“I thought this was something a little bit different,” Ryan stated “Not just asking for cash but looking for other ways that people like me could offer help.”
His answer was to become a member of the Workplace Big Day Out Steering Committee, and he’s been involved ever since contributing his personal time, expertise, staff and connections. Along the way his business has grown from a one man show to a thriving business with 6 staff (full time, part time and contract) and an attractive office location in the CBD.
His association with the BacLinks program and the Workplace Big Day Out have effectively helped secure his position in the business community by enhancing his business profile and providing the opportunities to make valuable business connections. His personal reward, however, is to put back into the community in a way that doesn’t spread time too thinly. "It’s a great way for a micro business to be involved”.
Small to medium sized enterprises can be involved in successful and mutually beneficial business-community partnerships. Black Dog Promotions is just one example of how a small or medium sized enterprise can contribute alongside larger businesses. A simple and manageable contribution from a business can make a real difference.
Many small to medium sized businessmen, like Ryan, are concerned about getting involved in community projects believing them to be troublesome and costly. Some are already involved but not fully realising the benefits to their businesses. BacLinks recognises this.
BacLinks has knowledge of community needs and can strategically assist your business, whatever the size, to effectively connect with community based projects, services, organisations and groups. BacLinks can simplify the process by providing information, coordination, support and potential promotional opportunities…along with many other benefits.
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The medium sized business (<100 employees) – WHK Day Neilson
WHK Day Neilson, Accountants, became involved with BacLinks in 2005 when they were approached, along with a lot of other businesses, to attend the Workplace Big Day Out. A medium sized business, they had little interest in self promotion but quite simply wanted to contribute to their community within the scope of their business. Similar to many other businesses of this size they didn’t know how or where to begin. The Workplace Big Day Out seemed a good start.
Since then they have contributed through involvement in the Geelong Food Relief Centre ‘Toucan Appeal’ and made a significant donor contribution of a large amount of office equipment.
The ‘Toucan Appeal’ and other similar appeals are simple ways that small to medium sized businesses can make a valuable contribution with little effort, organisation or disruption to their business.
Nine community agencies benefited from WHK Day Neilson’s contribution of office furniture and equipment, which included desks, storage cabinets, computers and a variety of sundry office items. This was furniture and equipment that was no longer needed by Colenso Accounting after they merged with WHK Day Neilson. It presented a removal problem and no one knew what to do with it as it was too good to be tipped.
BacLinks were able to coordinate the removal of the furniture and equipment and its distribution. WHK Day Neilson were astounded at how important and valued this contribution turned out to be and were pleased that it took little effort from their end to achieve a very positive outcome.
“I was going to take a lot of it to the tip…and I had no idea what to do with the rest. BacLinks made it easy by organising and coordinating the distribution. I hadn’t realised the enormous benefit that a contribution like this could make”, stated Ray Colenso, Accountant.
Businesses of this size can also make a valuable but manageable contribution inside a larger project alongside smaller and larger businesses and corporations.
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Large business – Alcoa World Alumina Australia
Alcoa has supported BacLinks since 2003 when it became part of the original steering committee and is still represented on BacLinks’ Advisory Committee today. Mindful of public perception Alcoa has been a strong business partner with a commitment to connecting with the communities within which it is operating. It also has recognised the team building and training potential for employees through involvement in community projects.
As part of this commitment Alcoa has developed the ongoing ‘Making the Link’ Program, a monthly employee volunteering program that operates for eleven months of the year. BacLinks has been invaluable in identifying community need, presenting options and assisting in the coordination of many of these projects. This partnership has also led to the formation of the Portland branch of the BacLinks program to service the Portland community.
“BacLinks offers a variety of volunteering opportunities. This means we can offer interesting ‘volunteer' options to our employees, which in turn helps us contribute to our local community in meaningful ways”, says Judy Hase, Alcoa's Community Projects Officer.
Apart from the ongoing commitment with ‘Making the Link’ Alcoa often puts its hands up for a range of other projects and regularly sponsors and participates in the Workplace Big Day Out. Some of these projects are small commitments for a business the size of Alcoa but are absolutely invaluable to the recipients. Such was the case when they carried out photocopying within their administration division for the Delta Dogs Program. This saved the program 100’s of dollars and made it a very simple process.
Alcoa also commit to numerous Action Grants, or similar, to assist with the funding of projects. For many community organisations this is an important start to getting their projects off the ground.
Alcoa has formed many project partnerships in conjunction with smaller businesses. One example of this was the Glastonbury ‘Rock and Roll’ Fundraising Auction where Alcoa provided the funds to purchase a bicycle (valued at $400.00) at a reduced price from De Grandi Cycle and Sport Pty Ltd. Alcoa also donated a T-shirt, cap and water bottle with De Grandi throwing in a helmet and water bottle holder.
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