Member Article

Schools light a beacon for Young Enterprise

Young Enterprise North East (YENE) is shining a light on the need for more future entrepreneurs in the North East during national Enterprise Week 2006 as it launches the UK’s first ever ‘whole school approach’ to enterprise education scheme, the Beacon Schools initiative. YENE is pioneering an all-school approach to enterprise education, ensuring that every single pupil in its appointed Beacon Schools will learn about enterprise in order to contribute to the social and economic well being of the region.

Chief executive of Young Enterprise North East Catherine Marchant says: “The start up figures in the North East show it is a priority to raise the possibility of starting a business as a career option with every one of our school pupils as early as possible, to help them shape their aspirations early and mark the course of their whole lives. “As well as hopefully creating the business leaders of the future, the power of enterprise education at a young age can also improve the employability skills of our school leavers by opening their minds to the real world of business and what attributes are required to work in their chosen field.”

YENE will be seeking support for its Beacon Schools from the region’s business community both financially and in providing volunteers to run the classroom programmes. Businesses are being offered packages to “Adopt a School” in their area, as well as adopting a class or even an individual pupil, making sure companies of every size and sector can afford to back the scheme.

Catherine Marchant added: “To ensure as many young people as possible can benefit from the interactive enterprise experience offered through our programmes we need the support of local businesses. However it must be stressed this is a two way benefit – it is a fabulous opportunity for employers in the region to do something practical to foster a more motivated and enterprising future workforce, support their local community and offer their staff a hugely rewarding professional development experience in working with our young people.”

YENE believe that being a Beacon School is a kite mark a school can be proud of, helping them gain recognition for using Young Enterprise educational programmes throughout the whole school and maximising student potential. If you or your business would like to be involved in the Beacon School initiative and invest in the future of the North East please call YENE on 0191 495 9500.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .