BASA celebrates one year of Etana supporting the BASA Mentorship Programme

The South African business insurance specialist came on board as sponsor in July 2011, significantly impacting BASA's vision to use the programme to introduce better business skills into the arts sector.

Currently, there are almost fifty mentors working with arts organisations countrywide, each mentor imparting their specific skill on a completely volunteer basis.

Etana's marketing manager, Josie Holley, said the company had taken on the sponsorship "because it ticks all the right boxes for us".

"Etana is a specialist business insurer that is also proudly South African and traditionally has a passionate interest in the arts," commented Holley. "Supporting the BASA mentorship programme makes a direct link between business and the arts and we see this as an extremely important relationship. All 18 of our branches around the country are involved in the programme because Etana also believes that the arts plays a big role in bringing about a well functioning society."

Holley pointed out that the mentor-mentee relationship not only benefits the arts organisation. "We also see how being a mentor can impact an individual who then brings additional value back into the business," she said.

With BASA facilitating the matching of mentors and mentees through the BASA mentorship programme, in association with Etana, arts organisations benefit from a range of highly skilled input - from marketing to financial planning, audience development, compliance, cash flow management and much more.

Arts organisations benefiting from the programme are uniform in their praise for it.

PJ Sabbagha founder of The Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative (FATC) describes how mentor Alecia Nkadimeng came on board to help with personnel management and team teething problems during 2011.

"Our mentor's acute understanding of both the creative and business environments provided invaluable knowledge, insight and guidance to the FATC management team to appropriately and productively manage these difficulties," said Sabbagha. "Having a mentor has also helped significantly in guiding the team to the development of, and articulation of long-term strategic plans for the company and its programmes."

This was echoed by Susan Rendall, chief executive officer of he Johannesburg Youth Orchestra Company who said the BASA mentorship programme, in association with Etana, gives it access to professional skills that would be otherwise unaffordable.

"Being able to tap into skills in areas of finance, marketing and publicity is crucial to the survival of any organisation and for this, I, personally, and extremely grateful to BASA," Rendall said.

Leigh Nudelman, director of the Urban Arts Platform, ascribed winning the Caring Joburg award at the Johannesburg Development Agency's Halala awards this year as significantly due to the input of mentor Hilton Lawler.

Lawler is a previous Mentor of the Year winner at the Annual Business Day BASA Awards, supported by Anglo American. This year Etana is also supporting the Mentor of the Year category at the event. Finalists include Kasja Claude, Mentor to the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra; Veronica King, Mentor to the Johannesburg Art Gallery; Niall Kramer, Mentor to Iziko Museums and Alecia Nkadimeng, Mentor to The Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative.

To view a message from the mentees go to: https://vimeo.com/46682334.

About Business and Arts South Africa NPC:

Business and Arts South Africa NPC is an internationally recognised South African development agency which incorporates the arts into, and contributes to, corporates' commercial success. With a suite of integrated programmes, Business and Arts South Africa NPC encourages mutually beneficial partnerships between business and the arts. Business and Arts South Africa NPC was founded in 1997 as a joint initiative of government and the business sector, to secure the future development of the arts industry in South Africa, through increased corporate sector involvement. Established as a Non Profit Company, Business and Arts South Africa NPC is accountable to both government and its business members.

Etana Insurance is a dedicated business insurer through brokers operating throughout South Africa. Etana's expertise covers a wide range of insurance classes aimed specifically at business. This specialist knowledge provides a solid base from which to serve companies of all sizes - from multi-billion-rand conglomerates to the family shop on the corner. With 18 offices around the country, Etana says 'local is lekker.' For more information on Etana please visit www.etana.co.za, the Etana facebook site or follow them on twitter.