Economic Development Organisations

Who do you know?

Within the Cessnock Local Government area there is the Pokolbin Parish, and five active Chambers of Commerce, including Cessnock, Lovedale, Wollombi, Branxton Greta, Kurri Kurri & District, as well as the Mandurah Hunter Indigenous Chamber.  Sustainable Cessnock is a collaboration between Cessnock City Council and Cessnock Chamber of Commerce, to initiate Mainstreet activity in Cessnock CBD. Cessnock City Council is a keen advocate for business networking, and support the individual activities of each chamber. For more information please contact Council's Economic Development Manager, (02) 4993 4257.

The Hunter Region Business Enterprise Centre is located at Kurri Kurri. The Hunter Region Business Enterprise Centre provides support for business start-ups, skills development, mentoring, business planning, accounts and legal support, as well as aboriginal employment assistance. the Hunter Region BEC host skills workshops, seminars and networking events throughout the year. For more information Freecall 1300 304 794.

Strong ties are maintained with the Newcastle office of the NSW Department of State and Regional Development and the Hunter Economic Development Corporation. Cessnock City Council is a member of Hunter Councils, and of the Hunter Business Chamber.

Volunteering - Could you make a difference?

What can I do?

The answer is simple - anything you want! At Cessnock there are a wide range of opportunities to become a champion for your community and for your passion. The things you could achieve cover a wide range of community involvement. Here are some examples, great and small, that volunteers do:

• Be an Ambassador for visitors to the Region.
• Sell raffle tickets for various not-for-profit service clubs.
• Recruit new businesses to the area by becoming actively involved with your local Business Chamber – there are five active Chambers in Cessnock. Council’s Economic Development Manager can provide more information (02) 4993 4257.
• Fill envelopes and assist with decoration/setup activities for various events across the Local Government Area.
• Help out at the Farmers’ Market or various Mural Projects.
• Guide the Mural Tours at Kurri Kurri.
• Volunteer for the annual Nostalgia Festival.
• Lend a hand to your local Tidy Towns group.
• Volunteer to help out with Landcare activities.

Anything you can do is important. The best way to find something that works for you is to talk to a member of Council Staff, a member of Towns With Heart or the Hunter Valley Business Enterprise Centre. Our staff have a sound understanding of strategic local and regional issues and are also involved with numerous tourism and development related initiatives to assist you in identifying where best you can make a difference. After just a few minutes we'll think of something - trust us!

Who's on first? ... the order of things

Who do I report to?

Most of the project work you are involved with will more than likely be a subcommittee of the project that you have chosen to assist. In most cases, you'll report to the Chairperson of the committee or subcommittee you are working on with any progress or questions. If you have not been told, the first question you should ask is "Who do I check in with?"

What is the role of Council staff?

Staff are responsible for either the day-to-day operation or in some cases represent Council on the Management Committee of a number of the specific projects and you may end up interacting with them a great deal. You can always ask a member of staff for help and information but remember our staff members usually have a lot of pots boiling and may refer you to an appropriate committee.

Money … Money … Money

Here are some basic guidelines to follow:

• Budgets are set before a committee spends any money. Volunteer positions do not get paid for their time.
• The members of a subcommittee prepare estimates of their expenses and get approval from their Chairperson (initials and date) before making any purchases.
• Save all receipts.

Your time is valuable to us!

Tracking the hours you work is important for demonstrating the commitment of our volunteers. Corporate contributors, new business prospects and various Government agencies are all interested to know how much the community invests back into the area. Volunteer hours are one of the best measures of our success.

• If you are working at an event and show up for a prearranged shift, don't worry about tracking your hours--we'll do it for you.
• If you're working on a project or committee that meets regularly, or doing work for us on your own, you're the only one who really knows how much time you've spent - please keep a record.
• Your Project Coordinator is responsible for developing/getting “Time Tracker” forms to you and for collecting them.

Sample Volunteer Hours Record:

Date: 15/05
Activity: Bought table decoration for Mural Dinner and left at Towns with Heart Office
Time: 1.5 hours

Thank you for taking the time to consider joining a project, subcommittee or assisting other service clubs thereby working to make our community a better place. Your work with us will pay dividends now and in the future.