Shaping the social entrepreneurs of the future

Young Enterprise is leading the way with a new social enterprise education programme. The pilot schemes aim to give students the opportunity to experience a new type of business that is driven by providing real community benefit through social and environmental impact.

Young people aged 15-19 who have chosen to take part in the pilot scheme will set up and run their own social enterprises over the course of the year, supported by a volunteer from the local business community. There are currently around 62,000 social enterprises in the UK with combined turnover of more than £27bn. These include a wide range of businesses from The Big Issue to the Eden Project.

John May, Chief Executive of Young Enterprise, said: “We are excited to be introducing a social enterprise version of our existing company programme, reflecting the growth of this way of doing business in the UK today. Our Company programmes offer young people the opportunity to develop their entrepreneurial skills and ultimately become more employable. This new Social Enterprise model will enable students to develop a real understanding of how to impact positively on the society and environment in which they live.”

A selection of the social enterprise pilot programmes across the country will also be inspired and supported by England’s Social Enterprise Ambassadors, leaders of some of the country's most successful social enterprises.

Social Enterprise Ambassador and former ‘Apprentice’ winner Tim Campbell will be supporting a local school participating in the Programme this year, he said: “The young people I meet through my work are so in tune with the environment and their local community – they want to make an impact and have careers that are more than just a job. Through social enterprise they can run successful, profitable businesses, while supporting people and the planet at the same time. We hope the Ambassadors’ support, as successful social entrepreneurs, will inspire lots more young people to see social enterprise as the smart career choice.”

In recent years an increasing number of student companies taking part in the Young Enterprise Company Programme have chosen to feature social responsibility at the heart of their activities.

Finalist projects at this year’s prestigious HSBC Young Enterprise Innovation Awards ranged from EcoFuschia, a company making eco friendly bags, to Feist who wrote a book about multiculturalism that aims to reduce prejudice and ignorance.

These projects are fine examples of how young people are becoming increasingly aware of their social and environmental impact and are already being supported to turn their ideas into viable socially responsible businesses.

The Social Enterprise Company Programme builds on this emerging trend and helps students understand that social enterprises can be distinct forms of business. Students taking part in the programme will continue to experience all the same benefits of the traditional Company Programme model, engaging young people to develop skills, capabilities and attitudes for life and work.

Professional services giant, KPMG are supporting the new programme. Vincent Neate, partner at KPMG LLP (UK), said: “KPMG is very pleased to support the Young Enterprise Social Enterprise pilot programme. We recognise that social enterprise is an important and developing part of our economy and we look forward to supporting young people to develop and learn by running their own social business. Understanding more about the role of business in society and the potential for making a positive social impact by doing it for real will be a very exciting experience both for the students and their advisors."

For more information about getting involved with Company Programme visit www.young-enterprise.org.uk/company and contact your local Young Enterprise office.