News

A Summer of Enterprise

(9 July 2003)

Sixty young people will have a unique opportunity to develop entrepreneurial life skills as the University of Durham’s Foundation for Small and Medium Enterprise Development opens its doors this August.

The non-residential Developing Entrepreneurial Life Skills Summer School is funded by the Regional Development Agency, One North East and runs from the 4th to the 8th August. The free event is aimed at 15-19 year olds from County Durham.

The summer school gives participants a taste of University life and involves research, ideas generation, team work, problem solving and information technology. In teams of 6 with a young student mentor, they will work together to generate an idea for a new business, which might be a not for profit enterprise or a for profit venture.

Various activities are planned including project based computer work, guest speakers including local entrepreneurs and small business advisors and visits to businesses in the region to highlight the various ways the enterprises are created.

The enterprising life skills developed on the summer school can be used by the young people as employees, in self-employment, or in a social/voluntary capacity in the changing workplace.

There are a limited number of spaces still available on the summer school. For further information and possible photo opportunities please contact Lynda Anderson: Tel: 0191 334 5441, E-mail: Lynda.Anderson@durham.ac.uk, Fax: 0191 334 5437

• The Developing Entrepreneurial Life Skills Summer School took place as a pilot project in 2002 with 40 participants. The number of places on the summer school has risen from 40 to 60 for this year’s event.
• All schools and colleges in County Durham were informed about the summer school with an invitation to encourage their pupils to apply. Young people will be attending from the following schools: Parkside School, Willington; Durham Gilesgate Sport College, Durham; Wellfield Community School, Wingate; Durham Sixth Form Centre, Durham; Park View Community School, Chester le Street; Tudhoe Grange School, Spennymoor; Deerness Valley School, Ushaw Moor; Sunndydale School, Shildon and Moorside Community College, Consett.
• The Foundation for Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Development is dedicated to the development of the smaller business and a culture of enterprise. Formed out of the Small Business Centre in August, 1999, the Foundation has been involved in all aspects of enterprise and SME development since the creation of the SBC in 1970. The Foundation works with small and medium businesses and their stakeholder networks locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.