Bright Lights by Ben Ben started his business with the help of his family in 2024. He hand-pours all his candles, packages them up, and delivers them to his customers.  He is a regular at the Oamaru farmers market and has found himself a loyal local following among the people of Oamaru and their businesses.…

castlerockfinefoods.co.nz Castle Rock Fine Foods, is a small family business based in the Coromandel. They handcraft a range of gluten-free chutneys & dressings that provide you with the essence of homemade goodness just like Grandma used to make.  Andy created the business after he became a Quadriplegic. He had over 20 years of experience as…

www.downlightsnz.com Downlights is a NZ owned social enterprise and luxury artisan candle company that creates accessible employment and growth opportunities for young New Zealanders with Down syndrome & learning disabilities.  Downlights was designed to create a positive, safe workplace where staff are encouraged to learn and grow. Downlights is also a Living Wage Aotearoa Principal…

www.tetuhi.art Te Tuhi Cafe was Aotearoa, New Zealand’s first training cafe for adults with intellectual disabilities, opening in 2020. It is in partnership with Te Tuhi Art Gallery, Rescare Homes Trust, and the School of Psychology at The University of Auckland.  The cafe provides in-house training which focuses on supporting people in obtaining employment. Te…

www.adultsinmotionnz.com AIM has created a collective called Aroha te Ao (Love the world). It is a social enterprise, a business for purpose and not for profit. Our purpose is to enable intellectually disabled people to participate and contribute to the community, which in turn enhances wellbeing and a sense of belonging. Through Aroha te Ao we celebrate community inclusion, diversity and participation for…

projectemploy.nz Project Employ’s vision is to create a community where young people with intellectual or learning disabilities are engaged in meaningful, paid employment like any other member of society. As part of this vision, Project Employ has created Flourish Cafe Located in Takapuna, 19 Como Street, the Flourish Café is open to the public Monday…

www.shedproject.co.nz The Shed Project Kāpiti is an organisation based in Paraparaumu, on the Kāpiti Coast, in New Zealand. They’ve provided training and employment opportunities for local disabled and disadvantaged people since their founding in 2014. Partnership with Special Gifts We heard about The Shed Project from a number of our other partners. When we reached…

https://thecookieprojectnz.org COOKIES THAT TASTE GOOD AND MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD The Cookie Project is a social enterprise and Māori-owned business that looks to employ Kiwis with disabilities to fill various roles within the industry. The company values Manaaki, thrives on creating inclusion and diversity, and aims for world-class quality and creativity in making New Zealand’s…

mattandtom.co.nz Matthew and Thomas are twins with Down Syndrome and a love of Christmas. They and their parents have started Matt and Tom, which sells Eco-Friendly Christmas trees and ethically sourced felt decorations. The two men are part of the quality control and packaging process. Depending on the sensory level, they will often be found…

A collective of nine people with different abilities and Stacey Fraser.co (cosmetic chemist) have brought to life beautiful plant-based sensory products for your enjoyment. They are based in Christchurch and sell their products at local Markets or in our online shop. Each team member has an important part to play in the process and participates…