Students at All Saints

STUDENTS from a Salford college came up with their own enterprising plans after being given a unique insight into social businesses.

They developed a range of new ideas for social businesses locally, based around the environment, youth and sports facilities after spending the day finding out about social enterprise.

More than 150 Year 10 students at All Hallows Business and Enterprise College in Weaste took part in the ‘Enterprise Day’ sessions.

Amongst the businesses who took part was the Salford-based health and social care enterprise, Unlimited Potential; The Big Life Company; Emerge, PeoplesVoiceMedia; Contour Housing and Sound Communication.

The students were involved in a range of workshops and activities designed to give them experience of the world of work and develop their own entrepreneurial skills.

They found out how profits from the social businesses did not go to anonymous shareholders, but were ploughed back into the communities they served and business development.

The session was organised by Salford Business Education Partnership and Form Teacher Yasmin Hussain as part of a programme to develop work-related learning.

As part of its contribution, Sound Communication ran half a dozen workshops with the students, designed to help them write a newsworthy press release about the event for the local media.

Director Matt Finnegan said: “The teenagers were very quick to learn and enthusiastic – they understood very quickly how social enterprises differ from private companies or public sector organisations.

“And they came up with some cracking ideas of their own for social businesses in the area – it will be interesting to see how their ideas develop further.”

Vicky Winstanley, Enterprise Cordinator for Salford BEP, added: “It was a very successful day – both the school and I were very pleased with the event. We are extremely grateful to all of the social enterprises involved for giving up their time for free to help spread the word.”