Young Enterprise - May 2009

DIRECTOR’S BLOG
Andrew Beeforth’s latest Cumbria Life article

see also the website http://www.cumbrialife.co.uk

May 2009

A few weeks ago I had the great privilege of spending two hours in the freezing cold one Sunday afternoon in the entrance to the Lanes Shopping Centre in Carlisle. I would happily have risked frost bite to experience more of the infectious enthusiasm shown by young people from seven West Cumbrian schools who were selling products through the Young Enterprise Scheme.

I’ve known about Young Enterprise through the children of family friends who have tried to sell me things on and off over the years, but it wasn’t until I met these young people face to face did I learn quite what a rigorous and demanding process they were going through.

As we look into an uncertain economic future, one thing that’s undeniable is the need to inspire young people to learn and to develop new business ideas. TV programmes like Dragon’s Den have clearly made business ‘sexy’ but it’s charities like Young Enterprise which help young people try their ideas out for real.

Each ‘business’ has a volunteer mentor who helps them develop their proposals and
teaches them the basics. They are then expected to sell their products, analyzing
performance and making adjustments along the way. I learnt of board room takeovers,
wholesale change in product ranges and re-branding exercises. I asked a group from
Maryport what made their products stand out. Before I had chance to draw breath one
budding Alan Sugar forced a business card under my nose and repeated the business’
strap line “unique designs at credit crunching prices”, I can’t think of a single business in the county that wouldn’t want to employ that young man.

Sadly not all young people in the county are so motivated. We have some truly
exceptional schools across the county, but we also have large areas where young people simply lose their way and fail to fulfil their potential. We need to do something about this poverty of aspiration. This month at the Community Foundation we have launched the ‘Live the Dream Fund’, a new bursary scheme for learners of all ages. Money isn’t the whole story, but lack of it can stop people. Also as we make awards and publicise the successes we hope to provide role models that will shape the attitudes of young people for years to come.

We have ambitious plans for a new charity in Carlisle which seeks to shape young
people’s lives for the better. The ‘Youth Zone’ will be a new £5 million youth facility in the centre of the city. Modelled on the highly successful Bolton Lads and Girls Club, it aims to provide state of the art leisure, recreation and support services. I wish it well.

An African proverb says ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, I agree. The question you might ask yourself is ‘what am I doing to raise the children in my area?’

Cumbria Grassroots Endowment Challenge Update – Year two begins

The Grassroots Endowment Challenge is seeking to raise money to build permanent grant making funds at the Community Foundation. What’s better is the Government is matching all local donations. These permanent funds are invested and the income used to make grants to local charities – in perpetuity. We welcome donations of all sizes to our main Cumbria Fund and for people able to donate larger sums they can create their own fund.

We’re seeking to raise £1m by March 2011. Year two of the appeal has got off to a good start with a donation of £10,000 from the steel stockists Thomas Graham. Thomas Graham is building a grant fund to support children and young people’s activities throughout Cumbria.

How the scheme works

For every £2 you give the Government will add £1 through the Challenge. If you pay tax and use Gift Aid then £2 becomes £2.56. Add in the match and the fund receives £3.82.

For more visit www.cumbriafoundation.org
For previous articles go to http://www.cumbriafoundation.org/news_events/index.htm
© Copyright 2009 Cumbria Community Foundation
All rights reserved 28/05/2009
Registered charity 1075120