Te Puawai Co-operative Society

Who we are:

Te Puawai Co-operative Society Limited is a co-operative incubator which will assist the birth of, and where appropriate, provide an umbrella for, co-operative enterprises.

The initiative results from a series of Mayday forums initiated by the Blackball Museum of Working Class History, in partnership with the trade unions, the West Coast Labour Party, the West Coast Green Party and the local community, exploring a transition economy for the Coast.

While this initiative comes from the West Coast, whose economy has traditionally been centred on the extractive industries and coal mining in particular, Te Puawai’s role is not necessarily confined to the region.

Work plan for 2021:

The Blackball Co-op Shuttle and Relocation Service, servicing the Paparoa Great Walk and run in partnership with Paparoa Shuttles is operating well, with 11 members involved. The service is busy, for example, in November it shifted over 60 vehicles as well as running the shuttle service.

The plan to renovate the old Jack's Mill School so that it can become a residential adult learning centre with a progressive agenda are underway with buy in from the Kotuku Heritage Society and DOC.

The possibility of acquiring a bulk food shop and running it with involvement from disabled workers is being investigated. It would require buy in from and organisation like Development West Coast or Mawhera Incorporation.

With the Coast beginning to have a housing crisis, we will investigate housing co-op possibilities and partnerships this coming year.

The Readers and Writers festival will be held June 5&6 (Queen's Birthday Weekend). Authors: Becky Manawatu, Nicky Hager, Pat White, David Morgan, Elspyth Sandys, Sandra Arnold, Time Jones, Kathleen Gallagher, Kennedy Warne, Paddy Richardson.

Stevan Eldred-Grigg has completed the writers; residency during which he completed the final draft of a memoir based on his childhood in Blackball.

Our principles:

Valuing all people is essential to our economic well-being;
Our economic well-being relies on our relationship with the land, ocean and freshwater;
Self-determination and interdependence are both enabling factors and intended outcomes of our economic activities;
Equality and equity are both enabling factors and intended outcomes of our economic activities;
Underpinning the work of the incubator and projects generated will be the well-being of participating families and their collective capacities.

Becoming a member: Membership is open to individuals, organisations and businesses. Contact wkcultur@gmail.com for a share application form. The membership application will then go to the board for approval and once the money transferred, a share certificate mailed to you.

Projects: While we are already working on possible projects in the areas of tourism, cleaning and domestic assistance, food and cultural services, we are open to ideas from our members. An initial one page proposal is suggested outlining the proposal, the people involved and what you see the first steps being to further the proposal and how Te Puawai can assist.

Our structure:

We are registered under the Industrial and Provident Society Act, 1908.

Members can be individuals, trade unions, community organisations, businesses, or NGOs.

Each member holds at least four shares worth $5 each. Maximum shareholding is 800 shares. There is 1 vote per member. Shares may be sold with the approval of the board.

General meetings are open to all members who annually elect a board of five people, board positions rotating amongst members. A maximum of two board members can come from outside the membership.

As co-ops are set up, they can form semi-autonomous units within the Society; being serviced by the advocacy and support unit (legal, tax, marketing) which will continue its incubating role.

The working units will hold their own on-site organizational meetings but continue to be members of the Society.

When stable and strong enough, these units will become a separate legal entity.

Liability: Liability of members is limited to the amount of any unpaid shares.

Te Puawai Co-operative Society Limited

Ka mate kāinga tahi, ka ora kāinga rua.
There is more than one way to achieve an objective.

Who we are:

Current board:

Our principles:

Our structure:

Ka mate kāinga tahi, ka ora kāinga rua. There is more than one way to achieve an objective.

Who we are:

Current board:

Our principles:

Our structure:

Ka mate kāinga tahi, ka ora kāinga rua.
There is more than one way to achieve an objective.