Last night over 60 local business people made the effort to know more local business people, develop likability and trust between themselves, to help strengthen their business and our community. Grass roots’ networking, sometimes over looked as bigger projects that create new jobs and bring new people to the region are pursued. Projects of this size take time to eventuate (if some ever do) and does just attracting new people to the region strengthen a community or only add to its size. Population growth and economic growth tends to go hand in hand. However with online shopping and a growing mobile workforce (including FIFO and DIDO), communities no longer gain the full benefits from population influx. For some (mining towns) the effects can be more negative than positive. Can a sense of community be developed without getting an insight into our neighbours? Mining accommodation camps are a case in point; will the workers staying there ever feel part of the community the camp exists in or the residents consider the FIFO workers as members of their community if no insights into each are made?
Last night’s Rockhampton Innovative Networking Group (RING) gathering with its unique ‘speed dating’ introductions has the potential to generate more work (money flow) between Rockhampton businesses and strengthen our community with the insights gained; but one meeting isn’t enough. Pro-active attendees will follow up contacts with an email or face to face appointment. Renae Daniel from the Keep It Local Project though proposed a further step by offering each attendee to post a profile of their business and the people behind it on the RING website (www.ring.org.au) if they make a donation of $80 to the Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service. Part capability statement; part history of the business and part who are the local people that own and run the business, the local sporting teams they sponsor, the causes they get behind. The vision being as more of the community get an insight into the individuals and businesses that are part of our community the more they support these businesses, creating more jobs, a stronger local economy and encourage a sense of community that give rise to a better community within which to live. $80 well invested I think, visit www.ring.org.au to register your business.