Mission:

The Alliance’s objective is to support growth and sustainability for existing businesses, while encouraging the development of new business opportunities within the Onkaparinga Region environs.

Charter:

The SBAA members have agreed that collaboration is a most effective way to gain access to a broader spectrum of opportunities, information and resources for their mutual benefit, contributing to economic development in the southern region through lobbying and advocacy.

Southern Business Associations Alliance

The Southern Business Associations Alliance (SBAA) adds a further dimension to the support services and advocacy for the many operators of small and medium enterprises based in the City of Onkaparinga region.

On the 24th May 2006 the Southern Business Associations Alliance (SBAA) was ratified at a meeting of local Business Associations and the Southern Success BEC.

The SBAA is an alliance between:

The purpose of this group is to encourage effective communication and interaction between Associations.

All parties involved in the alliance agree this is a great opportunity for the Associations to work together to support their members and ultimately help develop business growth in the region.

Reasoning behind the formation of the Alliance

SSBEC realised the importance of a combined approach and pooling of resources to assist Businesses in the Onkaparinga Region. An Alliance between all Business Associations and the SSBEC will enhance the opportunities for all Businesses in the region. The SSBEC is well placed to coordinate a collaborative alliance with all of the Business Associations without intruding upon their individuality or authority within their own precincts.

Southern Business Associations

Generally supported by the City of Onkaparinga in the main, the associations aim to assist the businesses in their precinct with local issues. This may include networking functions and identifying training needs. The growth and development of the individual precincts is also generally high on the agendas on Business Associations. The Associations are generally run by committee members who, while operating their own businesses, volunteer their time to be on the committee.

Time and limited resources are common restraints to the operation of Business Associations. Lack of information and support also generally limit the opportunities available to them.

Objectives

The Alliance’s objective is to support growth and sustainability for existing businesses, while encouraging the development of new business opportunities within the Onkaparinga Region. The SBAA members have agreed that collaboration is a most effective way to gain access to a broader spectrum of opportunities, information and resources for their mutual benefit, contributing to economic development in the southern region.

Summary of Benefits

• Strength in numbers
• Combined Voice
• Equal Voice
• Greater access to training and funding opportunities
• Greater access to tendering for larger contracts within and outside the region
• Collaborative marketing of the region beyond its boundaries
• Shared knowledge and experience
• Explore synergies between precincts
• Build membership numbers
• Greater networking opportunities for businesses to build relationships across the region
• Accessibility to resources

Feasibility Study

The SSBEC would like to introduce Lucianne van Gelder who is representing the SSBEC as a consultant in a feasibility study.

This study will include a stakeholder needs analysis in examining the future direction of the Southern Business Associations Alliance.

Lucianne will be contacting all Business Associations in the region to ensure a true representation of the needs of the Associations is gained.

We ask that you openly engage with Lucianne to enable her to gather the information required to determine the best way to support the Associations.

Ian Burton, Senior Business Development Consultant

Please see letter of support from Leon Bignell, Member for Mawson.

Goals and Objectives

The overall goal of this project is to establish whether there is still support for the further formation and ongoing role of the Business Association Alliance concept in the Onkaparinga region.

The main objective of the project is to conduct a feasibility study into the viability of the further development of the Southern Business Association Alliance. This will be conducted over a 10-week period and the study will be available for review and presented to members of the Onkaparinga council in a bid to gain future funding if SBAA concept is deemed worthwhile.

The SBAA adds a further dimension to the support services and advocacy for the many operators of small and medium enterprises based in the City of Onkaparinga region.

The SSBEC is supported by The City of Onkaparinga and the South Australian Government through the Department of Trade and Economic Development.

Our objective is to assist new and small to medium businesses and to help develop business opportunities and growth within the Onkaparinga Region. We provide business information, advice, counselling, workshops, networking functions and specialist referral services. We also maintain a strong working relationship with the City of Onkaparinga council and actively support the development council’s objectives.

'I look forward to hearing what you have to say.' Lucianne van Gelder