Case Studies

Area: Bradford west
School/ Centre: Allerton Youth Cafe
Activity: Market Challenge
Age group: 11-19
Participants: 7
Objectives: To learn about business start up, create business plans, learn presentation skills and to work as a team.

Budding young entrepreneurs from Allerton Youth Cafe are learning how to turn their love of music in to a lucrative business.

The youngsters aged 11-19 years who attend Allerton Youth Cafe dedicate a great amount of time to creating music in the studio available to them.

Step Up Enterprise Enabler Zahra Niazi has been working with the group of youngsters to help them turn their love of rap music in to a business venture. The Market Challenge was introduced to the group as a way of getting them recognised as artists and being taken seriously as young business people.

The market Challenge is a district wide competition for young people aged 5-19. They had to come up with a product and pitch the ideas at dragon’s den style events and if successful at this stage they get to go on to sell their products on a market stall in Bradford City Centre.

Step Up Enterprise delivered a series of four two hour workshops which started in January 2010. The group were encouraged to look at their product, the costs involved and improving their presentation skills. They then produced their own music CD’s, agreed on their branding and merchandise and came up with the name Youth in the Booth.

The group went on to present their business pitch at the Step Up Market Challenge dragon’s den at Seabrook HQ in March 2010. The group impressed the dragon’s, only dropping two marks out of 30 and progressed on to the grand final where they will have the opportunity to sell their products to members of the public. The final will take place on Sat 26th June.

Youth in the Booth received £100 and a business mentor as part of the Step Up Market Challenge. Additional to this funding the group have been awarded a £1700 grant from Young Unltd, a programme for young social entrepreneurs. This came after being spotted by dragon Jo Rich, development manager of Young Unltd.

“This whole experience has provided the group with new found confidence and the ability to improve their own life choices and opportunities. The young people have gained so many new skills and knowledge and this can only be of positive use to them throughout their lives.” Sohail Arshad, youth worker, Intergrated Youth Support

Case Study 2: Interview techniques at Ilkley Grammar

Area: Keighley
Activity: interview techniques
Age group: 11-19
Participants: 240
Objectives: To prepare students for mock interviews using a variety of enterprise skills. To deliver 4 sessions covering interview preparation, researching local companies, first impressions and interview questions.

Ilkley Grammar requested the support of Step Up Enterprise to prepare year 10 students for mock interviews. Step up Enterprise was asked to prepare a fast interactive and exciting session which would prepare 240 students for a job interview. It was to be delivered over four sessions using a varied mix of enterprise skills.

The sessions were designed to encourage students to negotiate with each other and demonstrate effective communication, positive attitude, initiative, planning, problem solving and making decisions.

The programme was broken down into four sessions with the first being preparing for an interview which got the young people to prioritise their actions leading up to an interview.

Session two looked at researching a local company and finding positive aspects that they could use in the interview. This also built an understanding of what is happening in the local business community.

The third session was based around making a good impression, looking at body language, acting appropriately and dressing accordingly. This part was delivered as a fun activity adopting aspects of drama.

Finally session four tackled the questions that young people were most afraid off. The students had to answer a number of typical questions to give them a flavour of what could be asked in a job interview whilst thinking of two of their own to ask prospective employers.

“It has been a really good experience working with such an enthusiastic team. Philip and the team have planned a session that was pitched perfectly at the students and for what they needed in preparation for their mock interview. The students themselves have felt that this was a worth while session and was seen as particularly useful as it was ‘experts’ who delivered and not teachers.” Timothy Milburn, Teacher, Ilkley Grammar School

Case Study 3: Keighley teenagers take part in Market Challenge 2010

Area: Bradford District
School/ Centre: KAWACC
Activity: Market Challenge
Age group: 11-19
Participants: 10
Objectives: To develop skills in budgeting, raising aspirations, teamwork, presentation skills.

A group of enterprising Keighley teenagers have been working with Step Up Enterprise enabler Phil Briggs to set up their own business in face-painting and henna skin patterns.

The youngsters from Keighley Asian Women and Children’s Centre (KAWACC) will be painting faces and drawing henna skin patterns as part of Bradford Council’s Step Up Enterprise Market Challenge on 26th June 2010.

The group formed with help from Step Up Enterprise enabler Phil Briggs. Phil attended the centre on regular occasions and worked in partnership with youth workers to encourage enterprise. From these visits the group were encouraged to form and enter the Market Challenge.

The group, aged 13 to 16, and called the Radicals were one of two teams from KAWACC to take part in the Step Up Enterprise Dragons’ Den and were successful at pitching their idea against the Dragons to reach the final.

The Radicals produced a business plan after they said they wanted to take part in activities that would celebrate the cultural diversity of Bradford and the World Cup.

Along with 30 other teams of young entrepreneurs they will be taking their services to the streets of Bradford city centre on Saturday, 26 June and will have the chance to win a share of prizes worth up to £2,000.

The group said that any money they make on the day would go towards the Keighley Asian Women’s and Children’s Centre.

The youngsters said they were keen to get involved with the Market Challenge to learn more about enterprise and skills that may give them a chance to develop into business leaders of the future.

Case Study 4: Lidget Green's visit from Seabrook's MD John Tague

Area: Bradford West
School/ centre: Lidget Green Primary
Activity: Food manufacturing business speaker
Age group: 5-11
Participants: 135
Objectives: To give insight in to the food manufacturing business and give a better understanding of what is required in the food manufacturing industry.

In January 2010 children at Lidget Green Primary were privileged to have a visit from John tague, Managing Director of Seabrook Crisps.

In support of a five week enterprise project entitled ‘Out of the Box’ Step Up Enterprise Enabler Amerjeat Sarai arranged for a guest speaker to present at Lidget Green Primary.

The guest speaker was John Tague, MD at Seabrook Crisps as the topic of discussion was food manufacturing. The aim of the day was to give the children an insight in to the business of food manufacturing and to give them a better understanding of what is required in the industry.

This was to help students who were learning how to set up their own business within school. Mr Tague discussed matters of marketing, budgeting, staffing, health and safety, production, sourcing and the structure of a business.

Five classes of year 3 and 4 students were given the opportunity to listen to the presentation and learn about the different aspects of large scale food production.

“This experience added importance to their curriculum project, it opened their eyes to the world of work and hard won success in a culture of ‘instant fame’. It really focussed their questioning skills and their ability to listen to and use the answers.”
Phillipa Tomlinson, Deputy Head, Lidget Green Primary School

Case Study 5: St Joseph's Careers Day

Area: Bradford west
Centre: St Joseph's catholic college
Activity: careers day
Age group: year 12—13
Participants: 150
Objectives: to show the youngsters a
variety of job opportunities open to them once they leave school.

Step Up Enterprise working in partnership with Kickstart held a careers day at St Joseph’s school with the aim to inspire young women.

Various different businesses were invited to the networking and careers event on 28th April 2010 to show the youngsters what job opportunities are on offer for them once they leave school. There were female representatives from the Fire Service, Bradford City FC, Beautology Hair and Skin Care Clinic and Training Academy, Candelisa People Recruitment Agency and ITV amongst others.

The event was opened with a motivational speech from Jane Vincent, founder of Candelisa People and a previous student at St Joseph’s. The students were inspired by Jane’s story of starting out not knowing what to do with her life then deciding to start her own business when she was in her early twenties. The business, Horizon Recruitment then went on to make a £28 million turnover and had branches throughout the country.

The young people also took part in two master classes; one was learning how to write an effective CV, run by Jane Vincent. The second was a beauty demonstration run by Zahida Ashraf from Beautology Hair and Skin Care Clinic and Training Academy, who has had her work featured on the cover of Asian Bride Magazine.

Year 12 and 13 students attended the event, organised by Enterprise Enabler Zahra Niazi. It was a great success and thoroughly enjoyed by all involved. The careers day was supported by the district's b someone campaign which supports, encourages and celebrates raising aspirations and learning for young people.