Newsletter

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

The Social Enterprise Program is about

supporting women and their families to turn the things

they love to do into projects that make money. The

Program works with women who are motivated and keen

to get things going. We support these women to

learn new skills, understand how to run a business and how to make things that

people want to buy. Read on, the story of the Social

Enterprise Program so far.

to the first Social Enterprise

Newsletter

The start of the year was spent

organising the studio at the back of the

Women’s Centre. The area was

repainted and materials ordered so

that it became a space that people

could easily produce work in. We now

have a dedicated group of women

working in the studio. June Smith

makes sure the textile and sewing

orders are done. June, April Jones,

Sharlene Chuguna and Cherry Smiler

are the textile artists producing

beautifully printed textile products.

Amanda Smith has just been employed

to run the bush dye silk scarf project

and Inge Crillesen makes sure the

artists have transport, food and a clean

space to work in. Come in and see us to

discuss your project ideas.

The MWRC Studio

MWRC now has an online

shop where people can

sell their products.

Check it out on:

www.mwrc.net.au

Online Business

and call us if you want to

put your products online.

Welcome

MWRC has worked closely with the

community of Jimbalakudunj over the

years to establish a textile design

business. In 2014 Rukaji Designs was

born with a new logo and new

products. Ivy Nargoodah is the key

artist on this project. She has been

working with Tracey Benthien from

Global Artisan Project to produce a

range of bags and coin purses in

collaboration with weavers and tailors

in Indonesia. Ivy has also formed a

relationship with The Ark Clothing

Company and they are now assisting

her to make her own line of dresses

Rukaji worked closely with Claudia

Rayne from Many Rivers who helped

the community understand the kind of

business model they want to pursue.

Rukaji Designs

M A R N I N W A R N T I K U R A

Newsletter

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

The Social Enterprise Program assisted

the very talented Lettitia Shaw to take

her designs to Sydney for the National

Indigenous Fashion Awards in April. The

program paid for the production of the

dresses, signage for her trade show and

organised business cards. MWRC also

supported the financial management of

Letticia’s trip to Sydney and sourced

funding to pay for her to show her

dresses at the national NAIDOC Week

celebrations in Canberra. Her fashion

parade with local models was one of the

highlights of the Smarter than Smoking

Bandaral Ngarri Festival and MWRC

supported this event by paying for

cosmetics and food. Letticia’s business is

much more than just fashion as she is

dedicated to mentoring other young

Aboriginal women to follow their

dreams.

Ticia Designs

Walibirri Designs, based at the Bungardi

Community, is the creation of Di and

Patrick Chungall and Judith Brooking. Di

drives the project and it is her energy

and enthusiasm that has seen the

establishment of a small market stall at

the entrance to the community on the

way to Geike Gorge. The Social

Enterprise Program helped the

community build the stall and assisted

with product development through

workshops with The Ark Clothing

Company and textile artist Megan

Kirwan Ward. Di travelled to Sydney and

Melbourne to see commercial designers

at work and has attended business

training sessions with the support of

MWRC. Their latest product – the

Walibirri Bag – was developed with

assistance from The Ark Clothing Co. It is

sewn by Di and Judith and features

screen and lino printed designs by

Patrick. It is a great product that is

walking out the door!

Walibirri Designs

Photographer Douglas

Gibson ran an intensive

two week course for 3

women – teaching them

the basics of portrait

photography (see

below). This has

resulted in Amanda

Smith and Lucy Wemyss

setting up their own

Family Photo Business.

The reason for this is to

make reasonably priced

family photos for

community members.

Call MWRC if you would

like to book the team to

come out to your

community.

Family Photo

Business

...

Newsletter

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

The Social Enterprise

project has recently

employed Lucy Wemyss

for one day a week. Lucy

is a fantastic graphic

designer and can help

you create wonderful

labels, flyers and other

marketing material for

your products.

Graphic Design Support

Janet Herbert, Susan Hoad and Elizabeth

Jingle make up the Ngarringa Ngarri design team

coordinated by Janice Peterson from the Marra

Worra Worra Women’s Program. The MWRC Social

Enterprise Program has assisted this group through:

Ngarringa Ngarri Designs

Product development with The

Ark Clothing Company

Setting up a relationship with

Many Rivers to assist the

women with business skill

development

Graphic design work for their

labels

Purchasing materials

Coordinating the Mother’s

Day and Makers Market

Providing financial assistance

for 3 of the women to attend

the Darwin Art Fair to see

what is going on in other

Indigenous communities

On June 23rd and 24th Petrine

McCrohan from Bridging the

Landscapes ran a small business

workshop for a group of 27 women

gathered at the Ngurra Gallery in

Ngumpan. Women stayed overnight

and discussed: what it means to run a

business; ways of setting up a business;

ideas for starting businesses in their

communities and a plan of action.

A show and tell session was held. Lillie

Spinks from the Ngurra Gallery gave a

great PowerPoint presentation on the

work they are doing and other

communities shared the products they

have developed. On the last day the

women went to visit Mimbi Caves

where Rose Nuggett and her assistant

Lana showed how to run a successful

business. The Mimbi Caves business is

a fantastic example of women running

a strong business and Rose was an

inspirational speaker. Special thanks

to the Ngurra Gallery team for hosting

the event and Karen Dayman for the

fabulous food!

Women’s Bush Business Meeting

This year the KALACC

Festival is having a special

area dedicated for women

to relax, talk and do

workshops. MWRC will be

supporting this program at

Jarlmadangah with

workshops and

information stalls and we

encourage all women to

attend.

Sept 22 to 26

KALACC Festival

Newsletter

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

New Products from the MWRC Studio With the assistance of product development workshops from The Ark

Clothing Company, and textile artists Megan Kirwan Ward and Ken Wood,

the MWRC studio artists are creating some wonderful new products.

June Smith is working on a line of

children’s clothes. April, Sharlene and

Cherry are producing lino printed

textiles that are sold as lengths of

material or turned into craft packs,

cushions, runners and bags. These

items are for sale at the studio, the

Tourist Information Centre and the

Broome Markets.

Textiles

Silk Scarves

Winyja Paintings

Another great product these silk

scarves are created from natural

plant dyes sourced from the Fitzroy

Valley. A number of workshops

coordinated by Kirsten Smith have

resulted in Amanda Smith, June

Smith, Ivy Nargoodah and Di

Chungall now running their own

workshops. Such has been the success

of this product that Amanda Smith is

now being employed for 20 hours a

week to run this project.

Aisha Oscar has been creating some

beautiful and unique images of the

Winyja – a protective spirit

responsible for creating the

Winyiduwa country and law of Aisha’s

family. These bright and cheerful

paintings have found a real following

with visitors to the region.

Newsletter

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

This project was trialled in the last half of 2013 with great

results. Painted and carved boab nuts were sold as corporate gifts

to a number of organisations and it is on again this year.

We have a huge number of nuts we need to get painted between

September and November– so again contact us if you

wish to be involved in this project.

The Boab Nut Project

The Social Enterprise Project commissioned 6 local artists to

make a range of gift cards. Maureen Chestnut, Talitha Nuggett,

Eileen Forrest, Sharlene Chuguna, Aisha Oscar and Martina

Costain have created a beautiful series of images that are now

on cards for sale at various outlets in Fitzroy and Broome.

Gift Cards

Workshops, professional development and

training to assist women and their families get

small businesses off the ground have been held

with the following organisations:

Business Training & Professional Development

Many Rivers

Bridging the Landscape

Morrgul

Indigenous Business Australia

Seasonal Concepts (Syd)

The Ark Clothing Co

The Darwin Art Fair

Volunteers Special thanks to the

volunteers that have

assisted to make the

program grow

especially Martha

West, Helen Heath

Wood and Jen Stahl

and her fabulous

sewing team.

Newsletter

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

The 2014 Smarter than Smoking Bandaral Ngarri Festival was held in Fitzroy Crossing on Saturday July 12 as a part of the Boab Festival and NAIDOC Week celebrations. The aim of the festival is to highlight the rich first nation culture of the Fitzroy Valley by providing a platform for local talent to shine. In addition to a full trapeze rig, art exhibitions and circus p e r f o r m an c e s t he S o c i a l Enterprise Program supported the event by coordinating The Makers Market. Twenty one product, activity and information stalls took part including wood

work from the Muludja Community, textiles and gifts from Loanbun, Bayulu, Townside an d J un ju w a c om mu nit y members, necklaces from Ngurra Gallery and bush dye silk scarves.

The Smarter than Smoking Bandaral Ngarri Festival

Broome Markets

The Darwin Art Fair

The Social Enterprise Program has supported local enterprises to be showcased at events, festivals and markets

including:

Mothers Day Market

Markets &EVents

Many Rivers Pop Up Shop

Seasonal Concepts Workshop in Sydney

The 2014 Smarter than Smoking

Bandaral Ngarri Festival

IBA are piloting a new program that helps people to build up a

Business Plan Wed Sept 17th & Wed October 15th

8.30-4pm Karrayilli

Call Audrey Viljoen on 0448 046 117 to make

a booking.

At the end of August Jen Sharman is taking leave from the

position of Social Enterprise Development Manager.

We welcome Brooke into this position until December 19th.

Jen will return in March 2015.

Welcome brooke! Indigenous Business Australia Workshops