2011 Social Media Masterclass   The Redden Bridge Wines Social Media Masterclass, held at Naracoorte on August 29th 2011 for 50 participants, built on the skills that past participants learnt at the beginner training workshops in 2010 and those held at Robe and Bordertown over 2 days in March 2011. This advanced workshop was interactive and covered advanced tips and tricks of Facebook, WordPress, blogging for small business, Tweeting for profit, and Youtube video advertising and promotions.  Social Media Masterclass Final Report  (PDF ~ 2 Mb)

2011 Better Business Series – Cash Flow Management &  Doing Business in Difficult Times .  The Better Business Series workshops are delivered by the Department of  Trade and Economic Development to help small businesses achieve sustainable growth and profitability.  Women in Business & Regional Development Inc has enjoyed a partnership with Regional Development Australia Limestone Coast and its predecessor the Limestone Coast Regional Development Board and for many years has coordinated many workshops at highly subsidised costs on behalf of these organisations.  Final Report BBS2011  (Pdf – 0.75Mb)

2010 Barrel of Laughs Comedy Dinner.   A unique event to finalise the Women in Business & Regional Development 2010 year was the Barrel of Laughs Comedy dinner.  Scheduled to coincide with Mental Health month the dinner promoted social and emotional well being; involvement in the community and enhanced the coping capacity of communities, families and individuals.   Two of the nation’s top comedians entertained a 200 strong crowd at the Poplars Winery Barrel room at Coonawarra. The self anointed Lady Julia Morris (Lady J Mo), who secured her first big break on the television sketch show Full Frontal, along with fellow actor and stand up comedian Jamie Harding had the crowd in fits of laughter.  Barrel of Laughs Final Report (PDF~0.4Mb)

2010 Dare to be Different Dare to Be Different was a six month collaborative project conducted by Women in Business and Regional Development (WiB&RD) with the assistance of the Australian Government Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) under its Australia’s Farming Future program.  The aim of this initiative sought to increase the leadership and representative capacity of women in primary industry across regional areas and to build rural, regional and remote community resilience to a changing climate .  Read more – Final report (PDF~2.0Mb)

2010 Websites for Beginners using WordPress The Websites for Beginners using WordPress was held on 10th March, 2010. The workshop facilitator Steve Davis, a senior consultant with Patrick Baker & Associates, taught mechanics of setting up of websites, their ongoing maintenance and how to turn prospects into leads.   Read more – Final report (PDF~0.86Mb)

2009 Web 2.0 Game Plan The Web 2.0 Game Plan program was held on 28th September 2009, providing small and home based businesses with the tools and knowledge to improve marketing and sales activity through adoption of e-business technologies.  Read more – Final report (under 1Mb)

2009 Biz Boost Marketing 2.0 This eBay and Web 2.0 Marketing program was held on 23rd March 2009 for female business owners in the Limestone Coast Region to understand how new technologies can assist in sales and marketing. It also covered  generating sales, profits and branding benefits for their sales and marketing strategies.   Read more – Final report (2.5Mb)

2008 Perfectly Complicated This program was a joint initiative with FOCiS on Youth held on 28th March 2008. It  saw 230 women come together to celebrate International Women’s Day with women of the Limestone Coast sharing their experiences, gaining advice and encouragement while having fun. Comedienne Fiona O’Loughlin, together with a variety of motivational speakers shared their stories and evolving strategies to balance their professional and personal lives.

2007 – 2009 Women Working @ Winning Women Working @ Winning concluded on 30th June 2009.  This two year project incorporated a range of elements providing participants from around the Limestone Coast region, South West Victoria and Adelaide with new and innovative opportunities to grow their business through skills training and mentoring.  Individual components included:

(1) 2008 Limestone Coast on Display This exciting programme guided participants on a path of training and development, culminating in the promotion of their business in the centre of Rundle Mall during Small Business Month . Read more – final report (2Mb)

(2) 2008 – 2009 Biz Boost Highly successful and innovative business mentoring program with highly skilled professionals delivering practical training one on one in the privacy of the participants workplace. Read more – Final report (2.5Mb)

(3) 2009 Strength in Numbers Retailers and small business operators were provided with an opportunity to travel with other like-minded businesses to two gift fairs in Melbourne in August 2008 and February 2009. Read more – final report (2.3Mb)

(4) 2008 – 2009 Winning Links Targeted young entrepreneurs and provided them with one-on-one mentoring support in a workplace environment helping them to grow and achieve their full potential.  Read more – final report (9Mb)

(5) 2007 – 2008 Business Familiarisation Tours These tours aimed to build networks and encourage the formation of business markets across the Victorian border and into Adelaide.
Leap Ahead Sea Change Panoply@Penola Discovery Tour

(6) 2007 Techno Expo On 30 August 2007 24 exhibitors showcased their products, which ranged from Software training, trouble shooting, graphic design to computer furniture, with 5 e-commerce seminars.  Read more – final report (18Mb)

2007 Touch of Spring On 1st September 2007 a tour of the Tatiara District was instigated to enable WiB&RD to better familiarise women from the Limestone Coast about our region and to share this knowledge with our counterparts from Victoria and Adelaide. Read more (under 1Mb)

2007 Laugh With Me 30th March 2007 celebrated a networking dinner event organised in response to the current drought that has impacted on our farming community and related agribusinesses.  Read more – final report (under 1Mb)

2007 4th World Congress of Rural Women Held on 23th to 26th April 2007 local delegate Liz Ballinger provides an insightful overview of her visit to South Africa.  Read more (under 1Mb)

2004 – 2006 Building Business A two-year project to support the establishment of four women’s business networks together with a business mentor program and skills development program.  Read more – final Report (under 1Mb)

2004 Women of the World Held on 8th March 2004 to celebrate International Women’s Day a celebration to increase understanding within the community of the issues faced by migrants when moving to a regional area was held. Read more – final report (under 1Mb)??2003 Not the April Fools On 1st April 2003 an exciting business walk through Robe with over 85 women enjoying a day and evening of inspiration and motivation, information sharing and networking made possible with support of Telstra. 2003, 2004 & 2005 Corporate Governance Introduction of an annual program to build high performing boards across the Limestone Coast.  Aimed to enhance the region’s capacity to respond to change, to build community strength and support social and economic success. Read more – final Report (under 1Mb)

2002 Celebrating Success Breakfast Forum This function offered local women the chance to celebrate the success of their peers and to recognise past achievements of women over the past 100 years.  Read more – final report (under 1Mb)

2001 & 2002 Science in the Bush Science in the Bush was a series of events that brought a variety of entertaining speakers on science-related topics to women and their families in rural communities.  The series aimed to inspire and educate women about the fundamental role that science plays in our lives and in our future prosperity.  In an unprecedented move WiB&RD was offered this program two years in a row due to its success.

2001 Recognising Volunteers As part of International Year of the Volunteer a major event recognising over 100 volunteers from throughout the Limestone Coast who make such a significant contribution to their communities.

2001 Bridges to Understanding The workshop aimed to help participants build skills in conflict resolution, mediation and facilitation. Read more – final report (under 1Mb)

2000 Women in Regional Development Concluding in February 2001 this one year project sought to create an environment that encourages entrepreneurial women to transfer a business idea into a new business opportunity whilst encouraging existing businesses to expand.  Read more – final report (under 1Mb)