CHANNEL YOUTH FEATURE
Supporting local business supporting the community
Your monthly Channel Youth column from Jessy Thurston.
above and beyond
Jessy Thurston
Supporting local businesses has always been such a great way to get involved in the community, but now the efforts we put into supporting them mean more than ever. NEELAM DAVIES It can be hard sometimes to stray away from the big business Business Studies Teacher and Senior School House Dean chains that we get so used to, but there are some awesome benefits from choosing to shop local. One of the easiest ways to achieve this is to shop online and access all of the wonders from small community businesses without ever leaving the couch. A lot of your favourite items are listed online for purchase, and it's easier than ever to browse for a new place in the neighbourhood to get whatever you may need, or even just to treat yourself or others around you! If the concept of picking things up is something that deters you from shopping local, don’t forget that a lot of these places offer shipping or drop-off options for your convenience. Aside from the minimal effort required to shop local online, you can also guarantee that every sale made in a small business comes with personalised customer service. These local companies are relying on the community to help them thrive, so in turn, every purchase is greatly appreciated and reflected back with individualised assistance that really makes you feel special. You just won’t get that kind of energy GIANCARLO LISI from big chain companies, so all the more reason to keep it local and Curriculum Leader, Music watch that inevitable kindness spread throughout the community like wildfire. community pages on Facebook are the perfect place to look for opportunities to help local businesses. A lot of the businesses are already utilising this feature, and have posted their websites The money that we all put into our or pages on there for the community to use. You can easily local businesses eventually cycles jump onto the search bar in a community page, search for the product or service you’re after, and a lot of these posts will pop back out into the community and up. If that doesn’t work, it takes a few seconds to make a post strengthens our local community. on the Facebook group yourself, letting everyone know what you’re after and asking for suggestions from other members in your neighbourhood. What is better than getting reviews and There’s also the added benefit of the unique creativity and suggestions from the people living in the same area as you? distinctive feel of each product a small local business puts out for There are also a lot of great tools to search for businesses near sale. You really don’t have to worry about gifting someone something you, such as the Neighbourly Local Business Directory. This website from a local business and wondering if anyone else plansSARAH to give BACKHOUSE-SMITH makes it super easy to select a category for what you’re after, and them the same thing. This makes for a really personal and sincere then whittle down the location you’d like to search in. You can even Year 7 Homeroom Teacher and Associate Dean gift for someone you love, and also gives them something to talk search specifically for your suburb, if you want an easy pick up/ about among their friends, as the word of mouth about these local shipping location. The businesses listed on this site include a brief businesses gets stronger with every small transaction. summary of what they do, contact details, and reviews from fellow Trying something new is always exciting, and why not share the local shoppers too. local spirit by selecting nearby businesses when you feel like a bit The money that we all put into our local businesses eventually of a change. There are loads of great local businesses for anything cycles back out into the community and strengthens our local you’re after – food, crafts, clothes, gifts, jewellery, community. For example, you may buy a meal from a local business, entertainment and so many services that you which will then use their profits to buy locally sourced ingredients D-19 Recove I V can turn to local employers for. If you find from a nearby farmers market and so on. These spending patterns ry CO something great in the community while build relationships that stem and grow from within the community. you’re branching out, sharing this with Local businesses often have a far smaller carbon footprint too, and your friends and family is the perfect they work and produce ethically, so there is the added bonus of way to give local businesses the extra being sustainable while you shop local. support they are looking for, and So next time you go to the usual big chain to buy what you’re also provide other people with a new after, take a step back and seek it out in the community first. You For our busine sses and our comm source for products! never know what amazing treasures you might find hidden closer unity NATHAN CALVERT If you aren’t already part of them, than you think.
heart and soul
the extra mile
a cut above Year 1 Teacher and Dean
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Issue 118 - April 2021 www.channelmag.co.nz
