EDF Energy's Simon Warrilow at the Farringdon School Young Enterprise day with pupils, clockwise from left, Jonathon Foggin, Jason Simms, Liam Robinson, Keiren Stimpson, Keiren Grievson and Adam Patterson.

Sunderland pupils among first to try Olympic enterprise day

School pupils in Sunderland have put their energy into enterprising ideas as part of an Olympic-themed business project being piloted in the city.

The pupils from Farringdon Community Sports College took part in the ‘In Business with the Games’ day which is being piloted for the first time outside of London by Young Enterprise with support from EDF Energy.

Nearly 200 year nine pupils took part in the day, which takes students through engaging enterprise challenges that reveal the business behind the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Five members of staff from EDF Energy’s customer service centre in Doxford Park led the day which looked at the impact of the Games on businesses and the community.

As a company, EDF Energy is committed to playing an active role in the local community by working in close partnership with schools, charities and other organisations.

The programme will be rolled out to other areas of the country following the pilots by EDF Energy in Sunderland.

Young Enterprise, the UK’s leading enterprise education charity, is building a connected world of young people, business volunteers and educators, inspiring each other to succeed through enterprise.

‘In Business with the Games’ allows pupils to explore the cultural and economic impact of the Games on businesses and communities across the UK. It inspires pupils to develop their enterprising skills, attitudes and behaviours.

Janet Woodhouse, North East development officer at Young Enterprise, said: “We’re delighted to be working with EDF Energy to bring this new Olympic-themed enterprise day to young people in the North East.

“It’s our aim to work with local schools, colleges and businesses to empower the next generation with the confidence, ability and ambition to succeed in a rapidly changing global economy.”

Jonathon Foggin, 14, said: “It was interesting to learn more about the Games and to find out about business and enterprise. The practical activities were really good and I feel like I learned quite a lot from the day.”

EDF is the first sustainability partner for the London 2012 and Paralympic Games and is working with charity partner ParalympicsGB to reduce its environmental impact, focusing on its training camps, and helping athletes and coaches become more sustainable and save energy and money.

STUDENTS TO REPRESENT NORTH EAST IN NATIONAL ENTERPRISE COMPETITION

Young Enterprise Regional Final Company of the Year winners - Tripz 'n' Tipz’.

STUDENTS from North Shields were announced the winners of the Young Enterprise Regional Final last night (Tuesday 14 June 2011) in an evening that toasted the achievements of enterprising students, teachers and the regional business community.
‘Tripz 'n' Tipz’ a company set up by year 12 students from John Spence Community High School walked away with the Company of the Year title with their business that produces interactive travel packs for children.
Tripz 'n' Tipz aim to inform, educate and entertain customers about their choice of destination.
Its first pack is based upon the country of Turkey. Featuring an activity book, historical information, a diary, useful phrases, a lanyard, a mascot and packaged in a reusable bag - it is ideal for any young traveller going to Turkey.

The company hopes to get the product noticed by major travel companies and has plans to produce packs for other major tourist destinations. The students have already had positive feedback from Hays Travel and WH Smith.

The winners, sponsored by Sage UK ltd were revealed at an awards ceremony at the Gosforth Marriott Hotel last night, and will now go through to represent the region in the Young Enterprise National Final in London in July.
The competition is part of YE’s Company and Team (special needs) programme, which sees students, establish a real company complete with products to sell, targets to reach, a board of directors and saleable shares.
Tripz 'n' Tipz sales director Shannon Brown said: “We are so thrilled to have won – I think we are in shock as the standard of all the other group’s businesses was so high and cannot believe we have actually won. We are all now so excited to represent our region in the National Final – London here we come.”
The winners of the Runner Up Company of the Year Award went to All Shook Up – a cocktail shaker manufacturer set up by a group year 12 students from Westfield School in Newcastle.
The product is a cocktail shaker, cleverly marked out to produce the perfect mix along with glasses and two recipe books - one for alcoholic cocktails and one for non- alcoholic cocktails. The shakers have also been used in the school’s maths lessons as an aid to teaching measurement and quantities. The company has sold many of the shakers for gifts and parties.
The group plan to expand and follow up leads with retailers already interested in the product such as TK Maxx and local wine bars.
YENE chief executive Catherine Marchant said: “It is heartening to witness the talent of our young people, as it is evident that the work of YE is needed now more than ever.

“The recent CBI/EDI annual education and skills survey revealed that local employers are concerned with the basic skill levels of school and college leavers. Young Enterprise is superbly well placed to help address the issues raised within these surveys and our plans for the future are clearly aligned with these desires.

“It’s been a great competition and this year’s winning group stood out for showing real gravitas in the nature of the product, the business and the market. I can’t wait to see how they do in London at the National Final.”
The other two finalist companies that were judged on the day include, PrioriTee a company set up by students from Prior Pursglove College in Guisborough. PrioriTee produce charity t-shirts, which do not have charity logos on them, but upon purchase 10% is donated to charity and students from Carmel RC College in Darlington, with their business idea Dream Makers, which aims to make people’s dreams come true.

BUSINESS LEADERS, GOVERNMENT AND EDUCATORS LAUNCH CHARTER TO HELP EVERY YOUNG PERSON SUCCEED

Photo caption: Bridging together. Business leaders on the right and students and teachers on the left are bridged together by council leaders Mick Henry (left) and Nick Forbes as they sign the Young Enterprise ‘Build a Bridge Charter’.


TODAY, (25.05.11) young people across the region joined thousands of other youngsters around the country to launch the Young Enterprise ‘Build a Bridge’ Charter, which calls on local businesses, government and educational establishments to recognise the importance of enterprise education for every young person in Britain.

Students from Walker Technology College and Tyne Metropolitan College gathered on the Gateshead Millenium Bridge to launch the Charter in the North East. They were joined by business leaders Bill Midgley OBE, leading financier Peter Wagstaff from Coutts Bank, Newcastle City Council leader, Councillor Nick Forbes and leader of Gateshead Council, Councillor Mick Henry who were there to support the initiative.

Young Enterprise believes that bringing teachers, employers and employees together with young people to share their skills will help inspire them to become the future business leaders, entrepreneurs and enterprising employees of tomorrow. The Charter calls for action now to equip the next generation with the skills to compete globally and drive the UK’s economic growth in the future.

Young Enterprise director Catherine Marchant said: “It’s vital that young people have the the enterprise and entrepreneurial skills to drive our economic growth as well as to stand out in a very competitive market place and ensure they succeed in the workplace. To do this, we need to work together to build relationships between education and business and we need the Government to help facilitate this.

“This Charter is all about building bridges. We need to bridge the gap in enterprise education in schools by making it a part of the curriculum. We need to build bridges between young people and the business community by encouraging skilled employees to volunteer their time to teach young people about key business and entrepreneurial skills through hands-on experience. Finally, we need to help young people successfully cross the bridge between education and work.”

The Charter aims to help employers dedicate 10,000 voluntary days to enterprise education during 2011/12 and for 500 schools, colleges and universities to commit to a dramatic increase in their employer engagement during 2011/12.

Antony Josephs commercial services partner at Gosforth-based accountancy firm RMT said: “I am ploughing my support behind the Young Enterprise Charter as I strongly believe that only by bringing business and schools together can we help equip young people to be leaders of the future and help to drive economic recovery.”

Young Enterprise will also deliver the Charter to the Government at a Westminster reception to be held in October.

ENTERPRISING TEESSIDE STUDENTS ENTER DUNCAN BANNATYNE’S DRAGON'S DEN

Photo caption: The winning students from Kings Academy (l to r back row) Sam Smitheringale, Richard Hewitson, Alfie Young and James Byrne. (front row l to r) Nick Grubb, Duncan Bannatyne and Jamie Patel.


BBC Dragon’s Den star Duncan Bannatyne was in the region yesterday (Monday 17 January) to judge business pitches from enterprising Tees Valley students.

Enterprise education provider Young Enterprise North East (YENE) in conjunction with BBC North East and Cumbria invited four groups of students aged 16 – 18 from schools across Teesside who have set generated their own business ideas through the YENE Company Programme to pitch their ideas to the fiery dragon.

The winning group was, ThermoLucet - students from The Kings Academy Sixth Form College in Middlesbrough with their thermo-chromic iPod and iPhone cases business idea. When heat is applied to the case, it changes colour. They also wish to market their own thermo-chromic paint. The team won train tickets to visit the BBC’s headquarters in London for a tour and a Q&A session with a well known BBC personality.

Duncan Bannatyne said: “My fellow judges and I have been greatly inspired by the students themselves and by the standard of their business ideas. All of the students had potential to enter the real dragon’s den and get investment. We have some great budding entrepreneurs here in the North East and this is a sign of positive things to come for the region.

“It is fantastic that practical enterprise education programmes such as Young Enterprise North East are being delivered in schools and colleges as not only are students learning about business but seeing that they can actually do it on their own and make it work.

“The students from Kings Academy impressed me their innovation and science behind the product. I’m sure they will be a success.”

As well as Duncan, judges included YENE chief executive Catherine Marchant and head of BBC North East and Cumbria Phil Roberts who judged students on the viability of their business plan, marketing strategy and how they will finance the products.

Young Enterprise North East chief executive Catherine Marchant said: “It is great to have had the opportunity to work with Duncan Bannatyne and the BBC, who have given the students valuable insights on how they can develop their business ideas and motivate them for future business success. Receiving sound business advice from a truly successful entrepreneur from our region is a wonderful experience for these young people.”

ThermoLucet development manager Nick Grubb said: “The future is very bright for our company. We’ve had a great day today, showing Duncan Bannatyne our business idea was an amazing experience.”

The pitches were filmed by the BBC and will air on various BBC channels.

Other participating schools were:

• Middlesbrough College, Middlesbrough.
Ecocessity
A board game called Ecopoly, which is similar to the classic game of Monopoly but adapted to feature environmentally friendly places. If it is successful they are planning to introduce a range of products including eco-stationary, eco-occasion and eco-guitar pick pouches.

• Prior Pursglove College, Guisborough.
Priori Tee
High end fashion T-shirts where every T-shirt sold, 10% will be donated to charity. The team learnt that 98% of their target market wear T-shirts and feel this would be an ideal way to raise money for charities.

• Carmel RC College, Darlington.
Dream Maker
A service to help people achieve what they want. For example, they surveyed year seven pupils at their school whose biggest desire was to get to know more people at their new secondary school. So the team organised a year seven Halloween disco. Other things they have found is busy people don't have enough time to wrap Christmas presents, so they are offering a present wrapping service.