Thrive Whanganui shares stories of businesses making the world a better place

Rebecca Stewart (right) co-founded social enterprise Pomegranate Kitchen to increase job opportunities for people with refugee backgrounds. Photo / Rebecca Stewart

Two experts in social enterprise will speak at a Thrive Whanganui event this Saturday.

Thrive Whanganui, a charitable trust established in 2018, provides social enterprise capability building services to help those who want to achieve good in the world through business and enable profit-for-purpose enterprises to flourish from Whanganui.

On Saturday, July 25, Thrive hosts two inspirational speakers - Rebecca Stewart and Catarina Gutierrez - who will share their stories of working within social enterprise and creating good. Thrive Whanganui's new engagement co-ordinator Tess Dwyer, who joined the team six weeks ago, said the event is the restarting of a regular series of inspiring events and information sessions.

Rebecca Stewart co-founded Pomegranate Kitchen, a not-for-profit social enterprise with strong values at the heart of the food they serve.

Rebecca combined a love of food with the desire to increase the job opportunities available to people with refugee backgrounds resettling in New Zealand.

Rebecca identified finding work as one of the most challenging aspects of resettling in a new country, with language barriers and the lack of local experience and references making it tough to find the right training or job opportunities.

"We say 'refugee background' rather than 'refugee'," Rebecca said.

"Being a refugee is an experience, not an identity."

Catarina Gutierrez is the head of community growth at CoGo - Connecting Good. Photo / Supplied

Catarina Gutierrez has been working in the "impact business" space, helping businesses making a positive impact, for more than 10 years in the United States and New Zealand.

She is the head of community growth at CoGo – Connecting Good, having previously held roles at Thankyou Payroll and as the start-up activator at the Ministry of Awesome in Christchurch, where she worked with thousands of new businesses and ideas in the post-earthquake rebuild.

She has a passion for community and small business, and specialises in helping businesses improve their impact on the planet and people.

The event is at the Davis Lecture Theatre on Saturday, July 25, from 3pm-4pm. Tickets are $10. Please RSVP at the event page on Thrive Whanganui's page on Facebook or by phone on 027 871 6459.