A free business relationship development workshop was hosted by the Southern Forests SEED Program on Monday at the Department of Agriculture and Food WA in Manjimup.It was the first in a series of development workshops to be rolled out by the program, which is a part of the Royalties for Regions funded Agricultural Expansion Project.
The SEED Program, which has so far been very successful in fostering relationships between school aged students, education providers and the agriculture industry, is building upon its functions by branching out to provide support to young and upcoming primary producers in the Southern Forests Region.
SEED Program Coordinator Stephanie Carstairs identified the need for professional and personal development workshops through regular discussions with farmers in the area, explained Shire President Wade DeCampo. "Learning about how to enhance business relationships and build on their negotiation skills were priority areas for this age bracket," said Cr DeCampo.
Guest speakers were Catherine Marriott, a passionate advocate for agriculture in Australia, along with Marie Gooch who is the Chair of the Rural, Remote and Regional Women's Network.
Topics covered at the workshop included self-awareness, how to gain confidence in communication, managing internal business relationships, how to 'navigate your way' through family dynamics, managing staff, developing external business relationships and how to manage these relationships.
"We had really positive feedback on the guest speakers and the areas that were covered. Attendees learnt some interesting things about themselves and picked up a few hints and tips on building long-lasting and successful business relationships," said Cr DeCampo.
People wishing to participate in future workshops or who have ideas for topics that should be covered are encouraged to contact Stephanie Carstairs at the Southern Forests SEED Program via stephanie.carstairs@manjimup.wa.gov.au or phone 0417 881 665.
