Association Update | October

There has been a lot happening behind the scenes with the Association since August.  Firstly, we are excited to have on board a new network partner, The Canterbury Safety Charter.  They are a not-for-profit with Charitable status, promoting good health and safety practices across all industries throughout New Zealand.  Recently aired within the media mental health and well-being in the workplace are at an all-time low, especially after the past few years, and so we must begin to look at seeking support and guidance for our industry so you can start to have conversations in the workplace and begin to make the changes needed to secure a better workplace culture for everyone.

A bit of background as to why the Canterbury Safety Charter was established and how they have become well respected within the construction industry.  Previously the Safety Charter was established following the Canterbury earthquakes with the aim of engaging with and educating the rebuild workforce to reduce the incidence of workplace harm.  Over that time, the Canterbury region saw a massive amount of construction activity, with no fatalities, and was put down to the collaboration of the Charter members, working together and striving to adhere to their 10 Charter commitments.  When an organisation joins the Charter they commit to a process of evaluation and improvement in these areas, with the global intent of promoting good practice and reducing workplace harm. To this day, the 10 commitments are as relevant now as they were back then.  Now, nearly 10 years on, the Safety Charter’s mission has evolved to provide connection and collaboration within the member community, to simply improve health, well-being and safety performance across all industries aligning with construction. The Safety Charter is able to provide support and connections to better understand how to meet your health and safety obligations, and to grow good health and safety practices, knowledge and awareness.

All NZSDA Sign maker members will become a Safety Charter member from this month onward and will have access to a raft of entitlements, ranging from member resources, workshops and events, online health and safety self-assessment tool, Facebook peer-to-peer support group, monthly newsletter and updates, membership certificate, member business directory, and use of the Safety Charter logo. To find out more about the Safety Charter and member entitlements, please visit their official website https://safetycharter.org.nz/  

Secondly, Signee NZ Ltd, is taking off and in the pipeline for next year will be a range of new opportunities, beginning with a new partnership with Inzone Careers Bus that travels throughout New Zealand to most High Schools, promoting trades and industries to the senior students looking to find a career to work in. We will have 2 videos in both the Creative Industry and Manufacturing sections.  The students are guided and prompted with questions from an interactive booth, they register by entering their mobile number, and after watching a video the students are then sent links to our industry ie. Websites, Apprenticeships and Training providers, scholarships and cadetship opportunities. We also having naming rights to two kiosks in two High School library’s for the duration of the year, one in the south and one in the north island.   This is a great opportunity to work closer with careers advisors of these schools where they can offer more opportunities like van visits to sign shops.  Signee Industry is still available for anyone that is new to your business, many have enrolled their new employee into Signee while they are on their 90 day period.  This gives them a good understanding and grounding of what sign making is about before an apprenticeship is offered.  Part of this course is that they must complete a first aid certificate and EWP course.  Signee MSD (Ministry of Social Development) is a course that is approved by MSD once a year job seekers that are interested in our industry.  We provide them with pastoral care, a one week in classroom sign making basics and then they are placed into a sign shop for 4 weeks work placement as they complete the online learning at the same time.  We have just submitted our application for Christchurch 2023 and await to hear about Wellington and Auckland.

2023 we focus on looking toward the future, hoping to give our members the tools and the people so that they can create inspiring and healthy workplace environments.