Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme
The Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme (YES), a school-based business programme, runs internationally and in New Zealand secondary schools at years 12 and 13. It fosters tomorrow’s entrepreneurs, giving them the opportunity to form a company, create a business plan, and produce goods or services to sell. Students learn all aspects of running a business including budgeting, decision making, identifying and managing risk, market research, marketing, selling, and annual financial reporting. Companies are liquidated at the end of the YES year.
This is a ‘live’ business experience, involving real money, taxes, product and profit. These companies compete directly with each other and all New Zealand businesses for their market share.
Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development provides a regional co-ordinator to bring together teams, secondary schools and the business community. YES event organisation, training workshops, a trade fair, mentor liaison, regional sponsorship management, communication & motivation are services provided by the co-ordinator, towards this first real experience of the economic community.
The programme runs over a school year and involves events that reflect business activities, in the region and at a national level, with a supreme business award being presented nationally.
In this issue of The Business Channel we highlight three leading entries from North Shore schools. Aim Plus (Takapuna Grammar), KEEP (Westlake Girls High School) and I3Dee (Westlake Boys High School).
Aim Plus – Block-A-Web® software
Aim Plus is made up of seven senior students at Takapuna Grammar School, each of whom directs one element of the company.
Led by Managing Director and Deputy Head Boy Kun Qian, the team comprises TeApatu McCrea, Sophie Hayman, Hannah Brightley, Craig Inger, Ashleigh
Giles and Joyce Wang. We have made an incredible journey throughout 2011, building on our basic original concept, to create marketing and sales strategies, and finally to produce a fully-functioning computer software, which is being sold through many distribution channels; primarily from our website, www.aimplus.co.nz.
Over the course of this year we have participated in the Lion Foundation’s Young Enterprise Scheme, through which high school students are encouraged to build their own company, product and marketing strategies. As a team of seven senior students at Takapuna Grammar School, we have come up with an innovatively designed downloadable computer software programme, Block-A-Web®, specifically created to help our fellow students to control their use of the internet. This new application allows students to build a realistic and personalised timetable of the school week, with a balance between study time and free time, minimising the impact of one of the most distracting procrastination tools of the 21st century – the internet.
With exam periods rapidly approaching, the ongoing issue of student procrastination by way of internet sites such as Facebook and YouTube is becoming an ever-increasing problem. Block-A-Web incorporates a customisable timetabling system, through which the students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own study. Key concentration times can be selected as ‘study time’, during which their selection of harmful or distracting websites will be blocked, and other times can be selected as ‘free time’ during which identified sites are made available. Block-A-Web also promotes a level of trust and communication between parent and student, as our double password feature ensures that both parties are agreed on the study and break time slots, as well as the restricted websites. At this crucial time
of year, Block-A-Web can help students to build better study habits, allowing them to maximise their academic potential. We are currently promoting our product through Takapuna Grammar School and the local community, and Block-A-Web has proven itself to be a fantastic study tool.
This year has proven to be a significant learning curve for all seven of us, as we are each responsible for one aspect of the company, and have been given many incredible experiences to develop ourselves in the real business world. The support given to us by local businesses and the community has been incredible, and we have certainly developed confidence working outside of the protected confines of the school environment as a result. This ongoing support has permitted us to
introduce some commercial applications for our product, which is currently being trialled by Simpson Western Law Firm, from whom Solicitor Patricia Parker gave the following comment about our product:
“I have had the opportunity to review Block-a-Web. As well as a useful study tool, I believe that this program could have further reaching application into the workplace. Many commercial environments could benefit from restricting access to certain websites during work hours, while allowing staff access during breaks. I believe that this is a great product that could be successfully marketed to business of all sizes.”
– Sophie Hayman, Communications Director, Aim Plus, Takapuna Grammar School.
