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MENTAL HEALTH COURSE FOR SMALL BUSINESS ADVISERS Beyond Blue has launched an online training course to help small business advisers provide mental health support to business owners impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. According to the organisation, the free ‘Mental wellbeing: Support yourself and small businesses’ course has been launched at a time when two-thirds of surveyed owners of Australian small businesses report the pandemic has negatively affected their mental health. The course is available nationwide through Beyond Blue and its supporting partners Xero and Go1. Evidence, says Beyond Blue, shows many small business owners seek advice and support from trusted advisers, including accountants, bookkeepers, tax agents, industry associations and representative bodies who are often the first to notice when a client might be experiencing mental health issues. Beyond Blue adds that advisers, however, also say they want to know more about the signs to look out for, how to start a conversation with a client they are worried about, and how to connect small business owners to appropriate support. The course, which can be accessed by all business advisers in Australia on Beyond Blue’s Heads Up website, covers four key topic areas: • An introduction to mental health and how to recognise when someone needs support. • How advisers can look after their own wellbeing in the workplace and at home. • How to have a conversation with a small business owner you are worried about. • How advisers can proactively support small business owners. Beyond Blue Director and Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell says business advisers play a crucial support role for people who run a business. “Small business owners turn to established and trusted business networks for advice and support, particularly during tough times,” she said, adding that the course will provide advisers “who often see first-hand how stress can affect small business owners, with the confidence and tools to play a crucial support role that goes beyond advice on accounts and assets”. To access the free course, click here. NEWS SUPPORTING FUTURE OF INDIGENOUS FOOD PRODUCERS What is promoted as Australia’s first program focused on native bushfoods has launched with a cohort of 12 early stage native food and agriculture businesses selected from more than 50 applicants across the country. The program, Ideas2Business, has been designed specifically to support the next generation of Australia’s indigenous food producers. It’s hoped that the 12-week initiative will help native food and agriculture entrepreneurs test their business ideas and build capability to develop and launch a wide range of new native foods and products into the market. Ideas2Business is the “brainchild” of Food Futures Company, an Australian-based agriculture and food innovation design firm that works with entrepreneurs, SMEs, start-ups, researchers, corporates and investors around the world to accelerate the development of innovative agri-food technologies, products and services. Co-founder and CEO of Food Futures Company Dr Christine Pitt says the accelerator has been designed to help early stage Australian food-focused companies fast-track their growth and build a healthier and more sustainable future. “Australia’s native ag and food sector has great potential to become a successful world-class industry, and we’re working closely with both indigenous and non-indigenous entrepreneurs and businesses to help achieve this,” she said. “The program is designed to develop their business ideas into offerings that will deliver economic, social, cultural, environmental and health benefits to first nations people, other businesses in the sector with appropriate benefit- sharing, and the wider Australian community. This sector offers significant commercial potential, and we’re dedicated to helping increase efficiencies and traceability, improve decision support and value chain innovation, and innovate their business models.” Each start-up will undertake a tailored three-month program to help tackle their biggest individual challenges to growth, whether that’s branding, product development, market intelligence, sales or supply chain. The program, delivered in partnership with ThincLab (University of Adelaide), includes access to a panel of expert mentors and advisers. OCT, 2020 RETAIL WORLD 13