www.young-enterprise.org.uk
NEWSLETTER ISSUE 14
AWARDS 2015 OF THE YEAR UK COMPANY 2 JULY BFI LONDON
UK FINAL EDITION Inside
this issue...
It’s finals time!
Youth unemployment
Business volunteering
The UK Final is the highlight of the Young Enterprise calendar - find out about this year’s inspirational young competitors and their journey...
Help us put an end to spiralling youth unemployment and join our campaign to ensure that all young people leave education with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in work and in life.
Meet the people bringing their expertise to the next generation of business leaders.
www.young-enterprise.org.uk
The secret ingredient behind everything Young Enterprise does... At Young Enterprise we recognise that there is an urgent need for employability skills among young people. We’re not only helping to develop them, but we’re also creating space for young people to discover much sought after self-confidence too. By the time you read this, the winners of the Young Enterprise UK Company of the Year Awards will have been announced. Congratulations to every team that has taken part. Whichever team does triumph, you can be certain of one thing. As with Young Enterprise’s Start Up programme, Tenner Challenge and each of our other initiatives; the young people we work with get help along the way - from mentors, business volunteers, and workshops from our expert corporate partners - but it will be their own initiative and increased self-confidence that will finally result in success. As the unemployment campaign we are about to launch illustrates (see below), there remains a disconnect between the skills and attitudes employers require and what many young people have to offer. Schools are measured on academic attainment and therefore that is their focus. As a result, many young people, especially those that aren’t succeeding academically, aren’t developing the skills they need for the future. Employers and the economy therefore don’t get what they need and young people are leaving education unskilled and not fulfilling their potential. Often this will lead to low-paid, temporary and sometimes exploitative work. It is not just ‘hard’ skills and tangible competencies employers are looking for. They also want candidates with self-confidence, initiative and drive. Eight years on,
National Unemployment Day On 20 July, 750,000 young people will finish education and thousands will find themselves unemployed. Yet research* shows that 70% of UK employers find it difficult to fill entry level positions and a McKinsey study reports that a quarter of employers have unfilled entry level roles, whilst a third have lost out on business because they couldn’t find recruits with the right skills. Many teachers and parents are rightly concerned about the employment prospects for school leavers and agree we need to teach the skills and attitudes needed for the jobs available. Youth unemployment is still a major issue even as we enter economic recovery with more young people taking on zero-hours
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contracts and low-paid part time work. We face real problems if the skills gap is not addressed now. The impact of unemployment, even after a short time, can be severe and last a lifetime. Depression, loss of confidence, isolation, lower salaries and a lack of prospects for years to come can all start from the day someone becomes unemployed. We must tackle the gap now to ensure that next year’s school leavers and future generations finish education prepared for the real world, with the skills, knowledge and attitudes to succeed. Join our campaign to end youth unemployment at:
www.young-enterprise.org.uk *Opinium research of 418 senior managers in UK, Spain, France and Germany 2014
short and long-term youth unemployment is the on-going tragic legacy of the financial crash. It is costly in both human and financial terms. It is the vicious cycle that has inspired our new unemployment campaign. We can only go so far with formal and even informal business and financial education to tackle these intractable problems. For young people to really learn about business, entrepreneurialism and to become truly employment-ready, we have to create space for them to learn for themselves. And yes, that means sometimes they make mistakes. But it also means they make incredible breakthroughs. They experience moments of inspiration. They enjoy that excitement when their true potential begins to shine. That is where hope and self-confidence are built. At Young Enterprise I know we’re providing young people from all walks of life with the skills and education they need to succeed. But most of all, I hope we’re helping to create space for young people to discover self-confidence in their own abilities. That can be genuinely life-changing. Together we can keep the circle turning. Thanks to all our volunteers and supporters who continue to make that happen. Michael Mercieca Chief Executive of Young Enterprise
www.young-enterprise.org.uk
Educating pupils of all ages about money Community and confidence are at the heart of two exciting new Young Enterprise programmes to embed business thinking into young people’s lives A new programme aims to encourage saving among primary school children, while another will help young people leaving school learn employability skills and give them a boost towards launching their own businesses.
Workshops as part of the new Launchpad programme will take place across the UK. Young Enterprise is hoping to attract volunteers from businesses to assist participants during the day, helping them with exercises and providing advice and support.
A community approach to saving The primary school programme, called Lifesavers, will set up school-based savings clubs as a way to teach pupils about money and to get them into the habit of saving for the long-term.
“Volunteers will gain experience in coaching, influencing and communication”
It will be piloted in six primary schools, with plans to roll out to 100 more schools and reach 30,000 pupils over the next four years. The scheme has a community emphasis, aiming to engage both school children and their families. New resources and training for teachers will be created to support the national curriculum. “This programme has been designed around evidence that financial education needs to start early and offer children a tangible experience of the benefits of saving, which is reinforced by teachers and parents in the classroom and at home,” said Lifesavers Project Manager Alison Tsang. Lifesavers is a collaborative project involving pfeg, which recently merged into Young Enterprise, as well as the Church of England and the Credit Union Foundation.
The workshops will help young people understand what they need to launch a new business, including information on teamwork, brand and marketing. The day will also cover how to develop the skills participants need to enter the workplace. Volunteers will gain experience in coaching, influencing and communication, while having fun and meeting new people. Launchpad is run in collaboration with HSBC. Could you use your experience to benefit young people at a one day Launchpad workshop? To ask about volunteering opportunities in this or any other Young Enterprise programme, please email kristina.stamp@y-e.org.uk to be sent an information pack.
Business volunteer appeal to help launch new programme Small and large businesses UK-wide are being asked to volunteer at one day workshops that will help 14-19 year old students develop the skills they need to enter the workplace.
Schools recognised for financial education More than 40 schools in England have now achieved official recognition for delivering high quality finance education to their pupils. Nearly 30 new schools received Centre of Excellence status, awarded by pfeg, this academic year alone. The Centre of Excellence award recognises schools that can demonstrate commitment to financial education among their senior leadership, active and applied learning for pupils on finance, and teacher training in delivering financial education. pfeg merged into Young Enterprise during 2014.
Schools applying to become a Centre of Excellence receive a £1,500 bursary as well as support and guidance from pfeg/Young Enterprise. Schools interested in the scheme can find out more on the pfeg website:
www.pfeg.org
Young Enterprise’s impact recognised by media Journalists particularly interested in flagship Company programme The first half of 2015 has seen a huge amount of media coverage of Young Enterprise’s work to engage young people in business and entrepreneurial skills development. Nearly 350 pieces of coverage have been achieved, across regional, national, broadcast and mainstream online media. Young Enterprise’s work generated national coverage in the press and broadcast media including items in The Independent on Sunday, Financial Times, BBC Radio 2, the Huffington Post website and The Telegraph.
“An astounding number of listeners, viewers and readers are learning about Young Enterprise’s impact on young people,” said Kate Corry of the PR team. “Media coverage shows that our success in delivering employability and financial education for young people is being highlighted more and more. Such coverage of our work, which also highlights the support of our partners, can only help this to grow.”
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Could you inspire tomorrow’s passionate entrepreneurs? Volunteering with Young Enterprise not only benefits young people. You’ll gain too.
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www.young-enterprise.org.uk
Just a few ways to volunteer with Young Enterprise.. • Hosting workshops in your specialist subject • Mentoring young people through a competition • Lead primary classes about how money and shopping works • Giving presentations in secondary schools • Host individuals and teams at your company for a day • Volunteer as part of a company scheme, or in your own time • Become a competition judge
Volunteers from Accenture take part in a Young Enterprise masterclass with local schools in London
Thousands of volunteers are supporting around a quarter of a million young people across the UK each year to learn about business and entrepreneurship, and helping many of them get hands-on experience by running their own businesses. Volunteers from workplace schemes, as well as those who give up their own time, are mentoring, teaching and supporting young people in everything from understanding finance and management, to product design and manufacture. Whatever their skill or expertise, students from as young as 4 to as old as 25 are gaining from what Young Enterprise volunteers have to offer. And together, they’re supporting young people to develop skills that improve their educational attainment today, while also creating the business leaders for the future. Michael Sheerin volunteers as a business adviser to students setting up their own business in London schools, as part of Young Enterprise’s Company programme. “I see the Company programme as an opportunity to work with future generations of young entrepreneurs and potential business leaders,” he says. “I believe Young Enterprise programmes are a bridge between the national curriculum and life after education allowing students to apply their academic knowledge and gain new skills.” Cara Farr from Old Mutual Wealth
Becoming a Young Enterprise volunteer can be challenging. But the excitement and satisfaction of mentoring, of transforming attitudes and helping young people open their eyes to the world of enterprise keeps many volunteers coming back year after year.
“Young Enterprise programmes are a bridge between the national curriculum and life after education” Mitesh Shukla took part when he was at school, which he says later helped him to gain a job with a top management consultancy.
“The skills and capabilities that I gained were extremely valuable and I still call upon them today,” says Mitesh. “Volunteering with Young Enterprise is also complementary to my career growth,” agrees Michael Sheerin. Potential volunteers can choose from a range of options, from corporate volunteering partnerships for businesses who would like to offer opportunities for their staff, to individual volunteering options for those who would like to give something back in their free time. Training is provided. If you’d like to bring your knowledge, passion and experience to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs, please email: kristina.stamp@y-e.org.uk
“I jumped at the opportunity to get involved. As a volunteer, I am able to give back to Young Enterprise and help to inspire the next generation of young people,” he said. But volunteering isn’t just about supporting these young people. The volunteers themselves gain greatly from the experience.
My volunteering experience... Cara Farr is a senior human resources professional with investment company Old Mutual Wealth, so she knows a thing or two about how to present yourself in the right way to a potential employer. She recently volunteered at a workshop on personal presentation for students about to leave education, held at Waltham Forest college in east London. “My role at the event was to be a floating advisor. If a student had a question about an exercise, or if they were struggling, or needed help understanding it, I was there to support and encourage them. “The workshop was about different ways they could look at and present themselves in the best ways to potential employers. I helped them think about offering a five second introduction to themselves. That’s a really hard thing to do, even when you’ve been in the workplace for many years. “I found the workshop really inspiring. I walked away thinking that it had worked and had been really worthwhile. That’s not something you always feel in workshops in the corporate world. It was something I knew would help these students in their search for work.
“I got personal fulfilment from it too, because it is not something I would normally have done. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I felt it did me a lot of good. It was a very different experience from the world in which I normally work. “I hope this partnership can increase the number of students we’re getting out to, because the workshops are clearly valuable to them and will improve their chances in the world of work.”
Old Mutual Wealth and Young Enterprise are working in partnership to run Your Horizon, a pioneering project to help young people aged 18-24 to find work by offering guidance and support on employment, self-employment and training opportunities. www.your-horizon.org.uk
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How do you turn a few £10 notes into more than £5,000? Many of the UK’s brightest entrepreneurs might say it’s impossible, but that’s exactly what a group of 15-19 year olds managed to do as part of this year’s Young Enterprise Tenner Challenge. The highest ever sum raised as part of the free nationwide initiative, which gives secondary school participants £10 and challenges them to turn it into a profit-making business, was celebrated by a team from Rawlins Academy in Loughborough. Rawentrepreneurs generated £5,112 from the £10 pledge given to each of its team members by organising events to raise money for charity including selling cakes, a photo booth, t-shirt printing, games and challenges. The Tenner Challenge was supported by Business Growth Fund (BGF) which, as well as judging the regional and national competition, ran their own Tenner Challenge across their eight offices UK-wide. As an investor in growing businesses, BGF works day in and day out with some of the most ambitious and exciting entrepreneurs in Britain. BGF employees held an auction, ran a bakery business, life coaching courses, provided home IT support for colleagues, and set up a shoe shining franchise. Together they raised just over £4,000, a substantial sum.
The winner of Best Group in the 11-14 age category of this year’s challenge was Wolf Pack Prints from Queen Mary’s Grammar School in Walsall, who produced personalised mugs and t-shirts. In the 15-19 age category, the award went to Slate It from Oaklands School in Edinburgh, who produced recycled slate and wooden gifts. Prizes were also awarded for social impact and innovation. The special award for most inspiring individual was won by Wasim Hassan from the Sanders School in East London who launched Wasi Burgers to sell good quality sandwiches as an alternative to eating in the school canteen. The Tenner Awards ceremony was held in May in central London with the support of The Telegraph, who hosted the event and gave winners a tour of their newsroom. A full list of category winners is available on the Young Enterprise website. Watch a film from the event at youtube.com/youngenterpriseuk
“The Tenner challenge has really helped me realise how hard running your own business is, but also how rewarding it can be” Student, West Midlands
Most Inspiring Individual winner Wasim Hassan is interviewed by YE’s PR team
Could you inspire the next generation of secondary school pupils to try to turn £10 into £5,000? The Tenner Challenge welcomes corporate partners to the scheme as a fun, inspiring and unique employee volunteering and fundraising opportunity. If you would like to offer Tenner to your employees, please email Kristina.stamp@y-e.org.uk with a little about your company.
The impact of Tenner across the UK... • Over 400 centres with over 20,000 students registered for the Tenner Challenge. • £32,500 - Top 50 teams’ cumulative profit. • 86% of participants would recommend Tenner to their friends. • 83% of participants felt that Tenner provided them with a unique opportunity to learn and achieve new things. • 60% felt that Tenner helped them define what they want to do as a career.
Winners of the Highest Profit prize in the 15-19 age group, Rawentrepreneurs from Rawlins Academy
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• 65% felt that through Tenner they had helped to make their school and local community a nicer place.
start-up news www.young-enterprise.org.uk
T UP R A T S rs
Start-Up Company of the Year DEtour from Kingston University
winne
Guests assemble at the final
Jerelle Okora from TeaGuice being interviewed on Concorde for the MAG Leadership Award
University teams celebrate success as awards announced for best student Start Ups No time to relax as university students’ travel sleep device wins a place at the European Start Up final in Portugal. A group of university-based entrepreneurs have won the opportunity to represent the UK and to showcase their innovative travel relaxation device at the European finals for student start up businesses in Lisbon this summer. The company, DEtour, were the overall winner at the Young Enterprise Start Up UK Final in May. The team from Kingston University developed a wraparound head accessory that covers the ears and eyes, and provides cushioning so travellers can sleep. The Young Enterprise Start Up programme challenges university teams to develop a product, plan and launch their own business. The UK final was a culmination of the programme involving dozens of universities and took place beneath a retired Concorde at the Concorde Conference Centre at Manchester Airport. Irene Canuti, the Managing Director of DEtour was also awarded the student leadership award for outstanding management skills. “We are completely committed to our business and this is just the beginning, it’s all thanks to Young Enterprise,” she said. “It really gave us the opportunity to get ourselves out there and prove ourselves.”
DEtour product demonstration
Hems De Winter, Chief Executive of communications company dewinter and a Young Enterprise volunteer business adviser said: “It was a privilege to be amongst young people with such passion for making a success of their business ideas. It is a tribute to Young Enterprise working with schools and universities across the UK that they enable so many young people to have that vital experience of real-life business.” Tara Turner from Manchester Airports Group was really impressed by the quality of companies and calibre of young people. “We have asked to keep in contact with three leaders in particular who demonstrated the behaviours we would be looking for when recruiting for graduate schemes and professional entry level roles. We would definitely recommend Young Enterprise as a good shop window to other employers seeking early talent.” To find out more about the Start Up programme and how your business could get involved in volunteering and sponsoring opportunities, download information about the programme from the Young Enterprise website. Click on What We Do and look for University Programmes.
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UK COMPA OF THE YEA AWARDS 2 2 july • bfi london
uk Company of the Year awards 2015 After a year of innovation, challenge, creativity and success: 2 JULY BFI LONDON now it’s time to really shine. Fourteen student companies head to London for the national final of Young Enterprise’s Company Programme. 2 JULY BFI LONDON
UK COMPANY COMPANY OFUK THE YEAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2015 AWARDS 2015
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Company Programme is Young Enterprise’s flagship initiative. It enables 15-19 year olds to set up and run businesses in an academic year, guided by local mentors and is supported nationally by HSBC.
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Eco-friendly soy wax scented candles, mobile phone accessories, a revision app and an activity journal for children are among the innovative and creative products made by students competing to be crowned the Young Enterprise UK Company of the Year in July.
Each team receives mentoring and business advice from local business volunteers, but are expected to make their own business decisions, present their products, appeal for funding and sell their product to the public.
Fourteen teams of students from across the UK have triumphed at regional finals to claim their place at a glamorous national final in London. It will be hosted by acclaimed BBC business reporter – and previous Young Enterprise participant - Steph McGovern.
“Like everyone involved with Young Enterprise, I cannot wait for the finals competition,” said Steph McGovern.
The finals are the culmination of the year-long Young Enterprise Company Programme that sees teams of GCSE and sixth-form students set up their own companies to create, design, manufacture and market their own products or services, learning important personal and work skills along the way.
“The UK finals are the highlight of the year for these students who have worked so hard to win their regional competitions and claim their right to go head-to-head with the nation’s other top entrepreneurial students.” As well as the chance to take home the UK Company of the Year award, teams will also be competing for awards that recognise creativity, retail excellence, production, innovation in IT and presentation skills.
Supported by
Thanks to
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Synergy with their adviser Euan and teacher Gary (second left)
You Don’t Understand! One of the companies hoping for success at the UK Finals is Synergy from Priory Academy in Lincoln, who won the East Midlands final in May. Synergy created a series of books called ‘You Don’t Understand’, designed to help parents get to know the key issues their teenagers are facing such as school problems, their use of social media, drugs and alcohol. Tilly Wilks, 17, is Managing Director of Synergy. She said the company had originally planned to make an organic cleaning product, but was struggling. Then a better idea struck: “I was having a difficult time with my Mum, and told her ‘you don’t understand what it’s like’, and she replied: ‘well, help me to understand!’ I thought it was an interesting idea. I mocked up a few potential covers and took them back to the company. We all immediately saw the gap in the market and loved it.” Members of the 12-strong team wrote and designed the books themselves, but had them and other marketing materials professionally produced. They also set up a website, Facebook group and other social media to promote the series.
“This programme has genuinely been life changing,” said Tilly Wilks. “I study science and I’d never been involved with business before. Through the programme I’ve learned how to present, how to manage a team, learned finance and sales and now I can see so many different opportunities.”
Gary Sleight (above, second left) who teaches A-level business and is the lead for Young Enterprise at Priory Academy, is extremely proud of the Synergy team and their achievements. As an alumnus of Young Enterprise he was really keen to bring the programme into the Academy.
“The UK finals are the highlight of the year for these students who have worked so hard.”
“I think there’s only so much you can do in the classroom to learn about business,” he said. “We’ve seen a lot of positive outcomes for the school. There’s a definite correlation between the programme and attainment results, but it also encourages students to get inspired about the many different aspects of running a business in the real world, away from the text book.”
Euan Scott, 18, worked with Synergy as an informal business advisor, having completed the programme the year before. He feels that his Young Enterprise experience helped him when applying for university. “At school, we’re continually told we need to prepare harder than ever for the world of work,” he said. “I know my involvement with Young Enterprise looks good on my CV and my personal statement, and I’m going to study finance and accountancy so the skills I’ve learned will be really applicable.”
A 2013/14 survey among participants in the Company programme found that more than eight out of ten felt more confident to succeed in the future, and more than nine out of ten teachers felt the programme increased students’ selfawareness in their own capabilities and raised their career aspirations.
Best business advice!
Speakers at this year’s finals reveal the tips that contributed to their success... “‘Head down, bum up,’ from my Dad. It’s an Australian way of saying: ‘get stuck in, just get on with doing it and good things will happen’.” Jo Elvin Editor of Glamour magazine
“‘Wealth is about more than money. It’s about relationships and treating people right’, from Peter Jones, one of the Dragons’ Den dragons.” Ross Bailey Founder of online commercial property agency Appear Here
“The best advice anyone can take on board is ‘anything is possible if you believe in yourself’.” Nicholas McCarthy The only one-handed pianist to graduate from the Royal College of Music
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UK COMPA The FinalistsOF THE YEA AWARDS 2 More than 25,000 business-savvy young people from across the UK and Gibraltar entered our challenging youth enterprise competition. Here are this year’s fourteen young teams competing to be UK Company of the Year... North West
North East & Cumbria Winners: Cumbria Unwrapped
Winners: Rewire
School / College: Wilmslow High School
School / College: The Nelson Thomlinson School
School / College: Sheffield High School
A mug designed with space for name and tea/ coffee preference.
East Midlands
School / College: Priory Academy
School / College: St. Dominic’s High School For Girls Write created a series of interactive activity storybooks.
South Central Winners: Lilla Home
Winners: Fleet
School / College: Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School
School / College: Oxford High School
Lilla Home sell a range of environmentally friendly soy wax scented candles for the home.
South West
East of England Winners: Orenda School / College: 2 JULY BFI LONDON St Helen’school
UK COMPANY COMPANY OFUK THE YEAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2015 AWARDS 2015
Fleet sell unique hand-made jewellery sourced from an ethical Bangladeshi co-operative.
Northern Ireland
Orenda have created drinks and snack 2 JULY BFIa LONDON container
London
Winners: Storm
School / College: City of London School for Girls
Storm’s flagship product is a reusable and recyclable coffee cup made of 100% poly(propylene) and is BPA free.
Scotland
Winners: Cortex
Winners: ActiKids
Winners: Fjara
School / College: St. Edwards RC CE/VA School
School / College: Friends’ School
School / College: Kirkwall Grammar School
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Cortex is the future of environmental gifts.
Wales
A unique activity journal for 6-10 year olds that aims to take children on a journey around the globe through a series of fun facts and activities.
Gibraltar
Winners: Ed’ Up
Winners: Biodiversity
School / College: Olchfa School
School / College: Bayside Community School
Ed’ Up is a revolutionary revision app for pupils, inspired by the game Charades.
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West Midlands Winners: Write
South East
Rewire aims to provide customers with a range of high-quality, affordable and innovative phone accessories.
Cumbria Unwrapped produce a range of product collections promoting the very best of Cumbria.
Winners: Synergy
Synergy have created ‘You Don’t Understand’: a series of books about raising teenagers, by teenagers, for parents.
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Yorkshire & Humber
Winners: What A Mug
Range of environmentally friendly children’s books.
Fjara set out to create unique jewellery which reflected their heritage, using seaglass they collected from beaches around Orkney.
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Michael Syron
Mentoring helps steer students in the right direction When he was at school, Michael Syron ‘nearly poisoned’ his head teacher with the scented candles his Young Enterprise company created. Now a business specialist for HSBC bank, he tells Inspire why he mentors Young Enterprise companies. And how he hopes to steer them away from the mistakes he made. “I always start with the story of my own time in the Young Enterprise programme and tell them our company closed down even before the end of the competition. Now responsible for banking services and lending for small business across the Nottingham area, I hope I have something useful to offer.
Could you use your experience to benefit young people taking part in Company Programme? To ask about volunteering opportunities for you or your business please email: kristina.stamp@y-e.org.uk to be sent an information pack.
“Volunteering opportunities are offered to HSBC employees. With my job role I felt it would be quite a good match to become a mentor on the Company programme with Young Enterprise. I’d never done anything like it before. “I can help companies understand the challenges small businesses face; that they need to have confidence talking to suppliers, customers and about money. It’s an open and honest relationship, and one of trust. I’m there to advise, not direct.
“The Young Enterprise companies I’ve worked with tend to start by meeting week after week to argue, talk over each other, and get nothing done. After a while, I start to write the number of days left on the wall. I tell them for every non-productive meeting they have, that’s another seven days they’ve lost running the business. It tends to focus their minds.
“These are the kinds of decisions business I work with have to make all the time .” “Only when asked to, I offer tips about how to start getting things moving. Usually, I help the senior team to understand how things can be improved. “For this year’s competition, I’ve been working with Ozone, from the West Bridgford School in Nottinghamshire. They came runner up in the East Midlands finals and won a number of the regional awards. Ozone made easy-to-construct bird boxes. When they ordered their first set of materials, they’d made a mistake in the plans they sent to the manufacturer. One side of the boxes ended up the wrong way round and the wrong colour. “I helped them to realise that arguing about who was to blame wasn’t going to help; they had to discuss their options. But I left them to make the final decision. They decided to sell the imperfect bird boxes at cost price. It was an important business lesson for them, but these are the kinds of decisions business I work with have to make all the time. “I’ve been able to see the experience that the young people get out of it, the business skills, presenting, people skills that will set them up for future life. “I’ve got a lot out of the scheme too. It’s something out of my normal day-to-day. It’s helped how I interact with my own customers. I’ve learned to strip out the jargon and to use the right language with the companies that come to see me. Through Young Enterprise I’ve learned a lot about how money works every day for a very small company.”
The West Bridgford School team with bird boxes
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Journey
UK COMPA Award OF THE YEA AWARDS 2
UK COMPANY OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2015The award is open to every young person across the UK who
The Young Enterprise Journey Award celebrates all the young people we work with and is an opportunity for individuals to shine.
This year’s finalists...
took part in the Company Programme this academic year and is aimed at those who can demonstrate the positive impact that taking part in the programme had on their lives. Winners have already been announced at regional finals, and those winners have been shortlisted giving us three UK finalists. These young people will be at the UK Final where the overall Journey Award winner will be announced.
Nayhan Islam
Dylan Jones
Caleb Warburton
London
West Midlands
East of England
2 JULY BFI LONDON Nayhan from Bow School in East London was the joint Managing Director of Swift, and got involved with Young Enterprise through the Be Enterprising Be successful programme funded by Big Lottery Fund, which aims to open up opportunities to young people from all walks of life. Nayhan says: “I am absolutely speechless and truly overwhelmed to be nominated for the Journey Award, I honestly cannot believe that I’ve been selected. Young Enterprise has been a life-changing journey for me.”
UK COMPANY OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2015
Dylan was the Managing Director of Jets Reaching New Heights at Earl Mortimer College & Sixth Form Centre. Dylan says: “I have thrived emotionally, socially and academically as a member of the team, especially after encountering many challenges in my life. It’s been a very testing time but being part of the Young Enterprise Company has helped me develop into an ambitious, empathetic and diligent person.”
Caleb was part of Eminence, the Young Enterprise Team from Ken Stimpson Community School in Peterborough. As the company’s I.T. Director, he found a role which matched his personal interests. Caleb says: “After losing 5 years of school due to illness, Young Enterprise has given me confidence, skills and new friends.”
Did you take part in a Young Enterprise programme at school?
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Join our new alumni network and become a champion for Young Enterprise
Young Enterprise has been inspiring young people through hands-on enterprise programmes and other business and entrepreneurial initiatives since 1963. In more than 50 years, Young Enterprise has worked with over three million students. Now, a new alumni network is bringing together some of those former students to support and champion Young Enterprise’s work across the UK. Could you share those all important formative times, and what taking part in the programme meant to you? There will be networking opportunities and a chance for alumni to give back and get involved by becoming a mentor, speaking to students, telling your story and offering your own business expertise and skills to schools. Help us bring together some of the three million lives Young Enterprise has influenced by joining our new alumni network now.
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Be part of something great and sign up on the alumni page of our website. Visit: www.young-enterprise.org.uk/alumni or scan here...
www.young-enterprise.org.uk
Walt Disney promotes the magic of creativity with Young Enterprise companies Jeff Archambault, Vice President for Corporate Citizenship at The Walt Disney Company EMEA, will be a judge at the Company finals. Disney is a key corporate supporter of Young Enterprise. Why did Disney get involved? As part of our commitment to empowering and encouraging young people to develop their creative thinking skills, we were looking for a partner that particularly worked with young people. One of our employees in the UK, who is an alumna of Young Enterprise, encouraged us to consider it. What we liked about Young Enterprise is that it helps young people to learn by doing. We had the opportunity to visit several school programmes and see the impact and reach Young Enterprise has. It seemed to be a great fit for us. Why was supporting the Creativity Award important for Disney? At Disney we believe there are no limits to where creativity and imagination can take us. It gives us an opportunity to encourage young people to approach problems creatively: in their approach to their products, but also creative thinking when responding to challenges and the process of business itself. What impact have you seen from Young Enterprise? It involves young people at an important time in their educational and personal life. We’ve been able to see the positive journey many of them have made from the beginning of the programme right through to the conclusion. You see that alumni are more likely to start their own businesses, or to find a role in a business. That’s because of the experience they’ve had as result of the Young Enterprise programme.
How does Disney benefit from the partnership? Firstly, it makes good on our corporate commitment to empower and encourage young people to develop creative thinking skills. But it also benefits our employees. They have the opportunity to mentor, or volunteer, to make creative presentations to these young people. We find those who have had these opportunities bring them back into their day-to-day work. Those who do it are proud of what they’ve done and are more engaged with their work. What are you particularly looking forward to at the final? For me, this relationship is never a one way street. I’m sure I will gain a lot from the exchanges I have. It will also be great to be able to represent Disney in this opportunity and to reinforce our commitment to the development of creative thinking skills for young people.
“It gives us an opportunity to encourage young people to approach problems creatively.”
Company of the Year supporter 2015
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www.young-enterprise.org.uk
CASE STUDY: Wigan Youth Zone
Creating opportunities for young people in Wigan Wigan Youth Zone runs Young Enterprise programmes for some of the most deprived schools in the area. Youth worker Sikander Ali explains how the initiative is raising aspirations for teenagers at risk of dropping out of education and employment. Wigan Youth Zone is the UK’s largest youth club, offering leisure activities as well as education and skills programmes for young people across the city. We began our involvement with Young Enterprise last year, working with local schools to run a range of programmes: from junior and senior school, to post-16 young people who are not in education, training or employment. We run the Company programme here, integrating it into our other enterprise and employment programmes. We have completed two Tenner Challenges, involving six young people. We also deliver one-off workshops for schools across Wigan, hosted at the youth club. All of our young people are from low social economic backgrounds. The students that make up our Company Programme, for example, are not high achievers academically but their achievements have been astonishing. Initially, even the schools did not think the children would be engaged or interested in the Young Enterprise programme. Now, they can see their progress because the students have given a presentation to their head teacher and senior management in school, showing what they have achieved. The teachers were so impressed and couldn’t believe the change in the pupils. Now, the students are so engaged with their businesses that they visit Wigan Youth Zone every Monday and Thursday to attend the board meeting and to have operation sessions for their business. They get so much job satisfaction out of it all.
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Unemployment is very high here, which is a big problem for school leavers. A lot of schools in Wigan do not offer or promote work experience programmes anymore. We are seeing a worrying number of young people leaving education and training, but not going into work. We deliver masterclasses to these young people and they have definitely benefited from them, taking away some great skills. Young Enterprise gives participants something to talk about in interviews. From their experiences they have so much to discuss and can illustrate their skills, what they have learnt and achieved with real life examples. The young people from Wigan Youth Zone can now talk about their pitching skills, trade stands, presentations, business plans, financial forecasting, marketing strategies - all thanks to Wigan Youth Zone and Young Enterprise.
Sikander Ali
Enterprise and Employability Youth Worker Siki has a number of projects he focuses on within the employment department including Get A Job programme, Young Enterprise and the Junior Enterprise programme. He aims to continue to help young people improve their life skills and enhance their career opportunities.
“We are able to tailor the Young Enterprise programme to suit the young people’s learning styles” Wigan Youth Zone company Tasty Bite who won an Elevator Pitch award for their Young Enterprise business
www.young-enterprise.org.uk
Cookie Mad Mugs sell in Vienna
Martin Ainscough
The Wigan Youth Zone company, and winners of the Greater Manchester Company final, had the opportunity to sell their novelty cups at a trade fair in the Austrian capital.
Wigan Youth Zone participants with their Young Enterprise Award
“There is a responsibility on business people like myself to help young people find careers and to give them opportunities that will equip them with skills they can apply to work,” said Mr Ainscough.
Daniel, Managing Director... “Throughout this competition I have learned leadership skills and have improved my confidence speaking in front of others. It has improved my English skills and I have learned to be an effective team member.”
“The team from Wigan Youth Zone have had great success with their business Cookie Mad Mugs through the Company Programme. Their enthusiasm for business and an increase in confidence are just a couple of the changes I have seen in them.
Lauren, Finance Director... “It has really improved my maths skills being in this role as I wasn’t the best at maths before. However now I can cash up, write cheques, calculate balances and send invoices. It has been a great experience.” Abbie, Operations Manager... “Most of all the competition has boosted my confidence and has made me feel better about talking to members of the public. I used to be really shy but now I love telling people all about our business.” Jess, Marketing and Sales Director... “Now I am able to talk in front of people I have never met before without getting really nervous and hesitating a lot. This experience has really helped me and will affect my future for the better.”
Young Enterprise’s work in Wigan is generously supported by local entrepreneur and philanthropist Martin Ainscough, DL. Thanks to the Martin and Judith Ainscough Charity Trust, Young Enterprise has been able to establish hands-on enterprise activities with young people right across the Wigan area.
“They get an enormous amount of pride out of what they are doing and have been inspired to do something that otherwise they might have thought they were not capable of. That’s money well spent.”
Cookie Mad mugs sold by the Wigan Youth Zone team were hugely popular in Vienna
Could you or your company support a similar partnership, helping to create business and employability opportunities for young people in some of the UK’s most deprived areas? Key supporters like Martin donate anything from £10k to £100k to support young people through Young Enterprise. Please get in touch with us by emailing kirsty.cawthron@y-e.org.uk to discuss how you might be able to help replicate some of the successes that teams in Wigan have had in your area.
Young Enterprise in Wigan... • Worked in 15 educational centres, schools, colleges and youth clubs. • Launched 12 Young Enterprise programmes in a variety of settings. • Worked with more than 300 young people, helping to improve their chances for getting into work or launch their own businesses. • Assisted by 23 volunteers to support the young people in this work.
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We are extremely proud of the ever-growing list of companies that back our work... We are proud to be supported by some of the UK’s leading businesses, trusts and foundations, as well as some truly generous philanthropists. Our partners make a huge difference to the lives of the UK’s young people. Our growing network of national and local businesses support us by: • Volunteering either as individual employees or in teams • Giving us direct financial support to help deliver local Young Enterprise programmes in schools, colleges and universities
• Supporting Young Enterprise awards which recognise young people’s achievement • Offering us in kind and pro bono support • Joining our advisory or trustee board
Find out more... For more information on Young Enterprise across the UK or in your region, visit www.young-enterprise.org.uk For more information on pfeg, visit www.pfeg.org
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Young Enterprise Head office: Yeoman House, Sekforde Street, London, EC1R 0HF, Email: info@y-e.org.uk, Tel: 020 7549 1980 Produced and distributed by Young Enterprise. Charity No. 313697
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