Young change makers bend the future

PLC Sydney students harnessed their enterprising spirit participating in the Future Anything – Big Ideas Challenge at Western Sydney University.

Twenty Year 8 students joined forces with hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs to transform ideas

into innovative solutions. This year’s theme was “Planet X” where students were tasked with the goal of pitching an idea that reduces or reverses a negative environmental impact on the planet. Students commenced the day gaining an understanding of the changing future of work and key skills necessary to prepare them for the many roles and careers they may undertake. The importance of problem-solving, communication, adaptive mindset and creativity was emphasised throughout the day as students embarked on “The Entrepreneur’s Odyssey”. Design-thinking processes allowed the students to empathise with their product or service’s user, ideate innovative solutions and generate prototypes. The day culminated with each team presenting a 60 second pitch to judges. Congratulations to Sophie Jamal and Lumbini Catalano, whose team’s solution to the issues associated with deforestation and land-clearing, “Enviro-Go” reached the semi-finals. Ziqi Yang’s team, “Anti-Carbon Tree”, were awarded first prize on the day for their unique response to combating carbon pollution in the atmosphere.

IMAGES 1. Year 10 students prototyping design solutions 2. Social enterprise pitches at Young Change Agents workshop 3. Students empathise with their product users at the Young Change Agents holiday workshop Main image: Big Ideas Challenge – Western Sydney University PLC Sydney’s Women in Enterprise program seeks to provide students opportunities to develop their entrepreneurial skills. In addition to the Future Anything Challenge, students in Years 7-11 also participated in a two day “hackathon style” workshop, facilitated by Young Change Agents to to identify problems within their communities then ideate, validate, prototype and pitch. Six social enterprise ideas were pitched to a panel of judges. It is also with much excitement that we prepare for the inaugural Entrepreneurial and Innovation Tour to Israel in 2023, which is open to students in Years 9-12, to visit some of the most innovative start-up companies in the world!

Mrs Rebecca Nichols

Head of Business, Economics & Entrepreneurship enterprising | \ ‘en-t r-|prīziŋ , ‘en-t |prī- \ adj. en·ter·pris·ing marked by an independent energetic spirit and by readiness to act

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