Young People's Blogs

Some of the young people involved in the Step up Enterprise project have taken the time to tell us about their experiences:

It all started one day down at Jam On Top Music Studios in Keighley, where we met through being involved in different musical workshops and activities that they run down there. We had just been practising with “Jamba” (Jam on Tops Community Samba Band) with Leach, Spence, Campbell and Clegg and we got talking about local gigs that weren’t really happening in the local area for our age group. It was not long before talks became actions and we decided to properly form, what is now “The Committee”. We have applied for various different grants (YOF & YCF) so that we can, properly provide the local areas with good music facilities, workshops/events/gigs for young people just like us!

With us being split across 2 different schools (Bingley Grammar and South Craven) the obvious meeting place was Jam On Top Music Studios, where we started to meet up, at least twice a week, Once with Enterprise Enabler Phil Briggs from Step Up Enterprise and Rachael Oddy from Enterprising Communities and then once a week just by ourselves.

Jam On Top Music Studios has been a perfect ‘base’ for us as we have been given lots of support, through letting us use their business to form, what will hopefully be our own Social Enterprise called “PlayTape Promotions”. It’s been handy to meet up there because it’s a really cool place with lots of like minded musicians who we talk to on a weekly basis about our ideas and progress.
Through both “The Committee” and “PlayTape Promotions” we hope to be able to setup music events for younger audiences, giving them opportunities to enjoy gigs /events in a suitable environment, and giving young artists the opportunity to showcase their talents.

Blog 2: Aisha Ali, 15, Laisterdyke Business and Enterprise College

My name is Aisha Ali, I’m 15 and I go to Laisterdyke Business and Enterprise College, I’m currently doing my last exams of my GCSE’s. While I’ve been at school, I’ve always wanted to start up my own business ever since I heard about people like Lord Sugar, ‘Dragons Den’ star Peter Jones and Sir Richard Branson. These are people who inspire me so much.

I didn’t study business at all at school (which is a shame) but I have a business mind. I don’t think there are many girls you would find that are into business and entrepreneurship as much as I am.
It puts fire in my belly!

Like I said, Peter Jones is someone who inspires me because he is a very clear thinking dragon and knows what a good investment is. I met Peter at a ‘Make Your Mark’ Challenge in 2008. I had initiated an idea to share Asian Bhangra culture with other cultures. We learned a lot out of that challenge. It made me realise that once you put your mind to something, then everything is possible.

About three weeks later we were invited to London to meet Peter Jones at ‘The Make Your Mark’ award ceremony.
We were so excited because two of us had never been to London before. It was an amazing day, we met Mr Jones, talked about our idea and he seemed impressed. In the end we won an award for the best teamwork and that was a great achievement.

Recently, I went for an interview at The National Enterprise Academy in Manchester. It was founded by Peter Jones himself.

I was nervous but just had faith in myself and hoped everything would go well. Today I got a letter saying that I have a conditional place, until I get my results which will be in August, so fingers crossed, hopefully I will get in!

For everyone reading this now, if you have an idea that you want to become reality then go for it! Be willing to take risks, have confidence in yourself and the main thing, always say to yourself, ‘I CAN!’ because my mum always used to tell me that there is no such word as ‘cant’ and she still says it to me.
GOOD LUCK!

We are the Rise to Bradford team and took part in the Step Up Market Challenge 2010. The team is made up of Joshua Smith, Kyle Walker and Stephanie Bell. We are from the Rise Project PRU and would like to tell you about our experience.

The dragons den experience has inspired us to work well as a team, to communicate with others at our PRU (Pupil Referral Unit) and people from different organisations from different cultures and ethical backgrounds. Working as a team has encouraged us to help each other and share our opinions and ideas. This experience has also helped us to show respect to elders and others pupils around us. The step up market challenge has helped us to understand what working life is all about. When we went to the dragons den event at the Seabrook factory whole atmosphere made us feel comfortable, confident and made us feel part of the Seabrook organisation.

Seeing the working life changed us and has made us realise what to expect in the future when we leave our PRU and independently go out in to the big wide world to find our own jobs. When we were at the dragons den event we all learnt how to speak in an appropriate and positive manner towards each other. At this event the dragons treated us as business people and mature adults. This made us feel happy and proud to be involved in something really creative and achieving. The whole Step Up Market Challenge has given us the confidence to go to an interview and speak clearly to a crowd of people whilst making good eye contact; which we were all afraid to do on the day.

The challenge has helped the ‘Rise to Bradford’ team become more creative and artistic, and has taught us the roots of leadership.

After the dragons den event we didn’t want the day to end because we achieved something that can help us in the future and get noticed for our hard work and determination to become young entrepreneurs.