Waikato leader gets boost from Community and Enterprise Leadership Programme

Long-standing McKenzie Centre Director Trisha Benge continues to make the world less scary and lonely for hundreds of families who have children with special needs.

Last year, Ms Benge was recognised for her contribution to the Hamilton community with the prestigious Rotary Paul Harris Fellow Awards. This year, she is undertaking a project around sustainable funding streams for McKenzie Centre - a not-for-profit early intervention centre for children with special needs. The Hamilton-based centre brings together families, specialist teachers, physio, occupational and speech language therapists, psychologist and social worker to help pre-schoolers reach their potential.

The qualified occupational therapist began the project while undertaking the Community and Enterprise Leadership programme at the University of Waikato’s Management School. The 17-day programme ran over 10 months. Ms Benge was nominated and sponsored to do the programme by John Cook, founder of Stainless Design.

She was among 21 leaders from a wide range of sectors that participated in the programme including public, business, not-for-profits and charities.

The programme aims to build future Waikato leaders who can re-imagine wealth creation from social, environmental, cultural and economic perspectives.

“The learning environment provided an amazing opportunity for all of us to tap into each other’s experiences and discover our similarities, differences, strengths and challenges as leaders. My peers were a fabulous resource; no wonder the Waikato is such a flourishing place to be in,” says Ms Benge.

“There were opportunities to visit other organisations that I typically wouldn’t work with on a day-to-day basis which helped me significantly to see in practice, the leadership challenges and strengths that leaders face in a large organisations.”

Throughout the programme participants were mentored by senior business leaders on how to develop their own leadership competencies by working on projects within their own company, organisation or community.

The Managing Partner at the Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) Mike Frew was a mentor in the programme.

“It was very rewarding to see my mentees move to a more advanced level of their leadership ability,” he says.

“There is a ‘heart’ for Waikato, its community and its leaders. It lies at the very foundation of the Community and Enterprise Leadership programme,” says Mr Frew.

“The programme is not driven by ego or profit, and as employers, I believe we have a responsibility to give back to the community that supports our businesses.”

The Community and Enterprise Leadership programme was founded by the Community and Enterprise Leadership Foundation (CELF) – a charitable trust, in partnership with the University of Waikato Management School.

Associate Professor Peter Sun, Director of Waikato Management School’s Centre for Enterprise and Leadership says that leadership will play a significant role for Waikato region’s future growth plan. “With the future development of Tainui Group Holding’s inland port and logistics hub, and existing agricultural technology industry base that has potential for growth, Waikato region will need future leaders who can lead collaboratively in a diverse multi-sector environment.”

ENDS

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