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 Forty Year 10 students in the borough have been working with a soap star as part of a newly devised Rotherham Ready initiative.
Enterprise Pathway, which is funded by NESTA and Objective One, involves combining challenging workshops with an enhanced end of year work placement; encouraging teenagers to go beyond spread their wings and actively participate in their hosts’ businesses.
At the launch of the programme in January 2008, 25 local business people met to share information and talk about how they have taken risks to drive their business success.
They completed revealing questionnaires which are being used as learning tools to guide and encourage the students through the programme.
The students will also work towards achieving a level 2 qualification in Developing Enterprise Capability throughout the series of experiential learning activities.
On February 11 the teenagers were at the Magna Science and Adventure Centre in Rotherham to begin the first exciting day of workshops.
Based around the theme of ‘Presentation and Communication’, the session was aimed at developing pupils’ awareness of how large organisations work, their ability to pitch an idea to an audience and the importance of effective marketing.
The students began with a series of ice-breaker sessions with professional actor Ian McHale, who has appeared in high profile shows such as Fat Friends and Coronation Street.
Next the teenagers broke into Enterprise Teams where their task was to design and advertise a T-shirt company using both their business knowledge and presentation skills.
Ian, who left school at 14 and worked as a painter and decorator for a theatre school in return for drama classes, said,
 “Having done a lot of work with teenagers, it is important for them to have the opportunity to come out of their shell and present themselves and their ideas in front of an audience. Not only will this improve their self-confidence, it will make them stand out from the crowd when they have a real job.”
Later that afternoon the students worked with comedian Jean Stewart. Since 2001, Jean has provided business counselling and training services in the South Yorkshire region.
The teenagers listened to a presentation by Jean about her business, noting the risks she has taken and the enterprising skills she has used to drive her success. They then got a chance to interview Jean about her career as a comedian and business woman. The students will go on to meet young entrepreneurs already climbing the business ladder, take part in enterprise master classes and further explore the links between risk and innovation.
Enterprise Pathway will culminate in a trip to the Houses of Parliament and the Metal Exchange in London, before the teenagers take up their enhanced work placement, where they will be encouraged to put their skills into practice.
Employers will receive extra visits and support from the programme co-ordinator to help them structure a work placement that provides a meaningful experience for both student and employer.
Amanda France is a teacher at Thrybergh Comprehensive School in Rotherham and has already noticed a change in her students who are taking part in the Enterprise Pathway sessions. She said,
“We have had a great response from the Year 10s in terms of them taking the initiative and getting on the telephone to speak to employers and arrange their placements. This could have been quite intimidating for the students but Enterprise Pathway is taking them out of their comfort zones and showing them that they can take risks and get results.”
This innovative programme is being led by 14-19 year old Enterprise Projects Co-ordinator Panni Loh, who has been shortlisted for an ATHENA award for those helping their local communities and promoting leadership skills.
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