Volunteering: Young Enterprise

Young Enterprise, (2007-present)
Southampton
As part of my involvement in Fish on Toast, the University of Southampton's entrepreneurs society, I was encouraged to become an advisor for Young Enterprise in a local school.

Although, I got my criminal records check (CRB) in late 2006, I was never invited to attend at the school that I was designated to. Having been frustrated at this inefficiency, I insisted on getting involved early on with a different school in 2007.

Southampton City College, became my designated school, where I worked along side a link teacher, leading a class of around ten, 17 year-old school kids. My task was to help them start and make a success of any business idea that they agreed upon (getting everyone agreed on the plan was probably the second hardest thing to achieve, after deciding who would be CEO). Belatedly, we started a t-shirt printing company ('Say It Like It Is'). The idea was to specialise in printing amusing typical school slang onto t-shirts in big, brightly coloured, bold fonts.

Once a week my job, was to guide and motivate the students into starting their own business. Without wishing to sound cliche, I must admit to being overwhelmed by their fantastic enthusiasm and diversity of characters. It was certainly a very eye opening experience for me having not attended a state school. Over all my experience was very positive, and Young Enterprise, is something, ideally, I would like to continue for as long as possible.

I am not however currently involved with Young Enterprise due to my being in my final year and the work piling on.