Less than 12 months on from the establishment of the Office for Small and Family Business (OSFB) the Department for Industry, Innovation and Science (DIIS) marks a major milestone today with the release of South Australia’s Small Business Strategy 2023 – 2030.
The Strategy aims to:
- increase the skills, capability and capacity of small business owners and their workforce, to build sustainability, and to take up new business opportunities
- drive jobs growth
- make it easier for businesses to access South Australian Government services, supports and programs
- Diversify the sector by supporting regional businesses, and specific target groups, including First Nations, women, business owners living with disability, and culturally and linguistically diverse business owners.
More than 1000 small business owners, industry associations, chambers of commerce, local RDA branches and local councils participated in a series of one-on-one interviews, industry roundtables, and a state-wide survey, through the lens of six themes of significance:
- Strengthening business capability
- Building skills and workforce
- Navigating the digital environment
- Boosting business sustainability
- Embracing diversity
- Improving access to government services.
The Strategy has 20 initiatives, including support programs designed to address the challenges consistently raised by the small and family business community throughout last year’s engagement.
Initiatives available now include:
- Business Support Officers
- Mental Health and Wellbeing program for construction industry
- Cyber Uplift Step Program
- $4 million Women in Business Program
As outlined in last month’s State Budget, the Strategy’s activation is supported by an additional $6.5 million in funding over the next four years.
Read South Australia’s Small Business Strategy 2023 – 2030.
