Young Enterprise is the UKs leading business and education charity and the YE Company Programme provides a unique learning experience for students aged between 15-19, in schools and colleges across UK regions including the Cornwall.
Real trading companies are created and operated over one academic year. Students create a business idea, elect a board of directors, raise share capital and develop, market and sell their product or service within school and to the general public and liquidate the company at the end of the school year. Through the running of their companies, students have the opportunity to acquire knowledge of business. They learn to operate as a team and they develop a whole range of business skills.
Each YE Company is supported by a volunteer Business Adviser. The main function of the Adviser is to act as a mentor to the members of the company by encouraging and supporting the company members. From time to time it may be necessary to instil a sense of urgency, raise morale, engender team spirit, and be a catalyst or play “devil’s advocate.” Business Advisers are a source of knowledge, a motivator and consultant. They are role models for the students.
Our volunteers have experience which cuts across every sector of the economy.
They are in employment, entrepreneurs, stay at home parents, on a career break or retired. They have one thing in common - a desire to pass on their skills and experience of work to inspire the next generation.
Time Commitment: You would be asked to attend a 1 hour weekly meeting held at school, between end of September 2014 and Easter 2015 (term time only).
Training: Initial training and on-going support will be offered by your local Young Enterprise Manager. There will be the opportunity to network with other volunteers throughout the year, many of whom have operated as Business Advisers for several years. In the Cornwall a Launch event is held on Friday 26th September from 10am-2pm to kick off the year, all Link Teachers, Business Advisers and 6Obviously we’d invite all business adviser’s and link teachers too.
Students from each team are asked to attend.
Location: Currently we are looking for Business Advisers to work with newly signed schools in Cornwall for the new academic year – I would love to hear from you if you see this as a great opportunity to share your skills and experience but also in supporting young people in this ultimate enterprise experience!
More information is available at www.young-enterprise.org.uk.
There are case studies from other volunteers at http://www.young-enterprise.org.uk/about-us/case-studies/volunteers/
Anyone interested in finding out more, contact Lucie Robinson, Young Enterprise Manager (Lucie.Robinson@y-e.org.uk) or 07943368149.
