Calling all social entrepreneurs and people working in social enterprises! Whether you are a business owner, passionate about social enterprise, or someone willing to offer business advice to students, then keep reading!
As reported at the start of October, the Social Enterprise Hub project is well underway with 24 students from The Abbey and Reading Boys School, collaborating with Henley Centre for Entrepreneurship, with the aim of empowering young people to develop social enterprise businesses of the future based around the principles of the Triple Bottom Line – People, Planet and Profit.
With term one’s focus on theory coming to a close, the students move to The Abbey School in term two where they will continue to develop their business ideas and start building their business pitch (to be delivered in term three). It is during the Spring term we are looking to invite business experts and professionals connected with social enterprise to talk to the students, and offer words of wisdom as they begin to hone their own business plans.
Any offers of support would be greatly appreciated, and as Charles Lovibond, Head of Business Management at The Abbey, explains, the project aims to engage with the wider community. “We are keen to develop the students’ knowledge of business, in particular around social enterprise. As they are tasked with creating a viable and sustainable business which can be handed over to their chosen local community by next September, introducing our young entrepreneurs to individuals who want to create positive social change, or who work in business and have valuable advice to offer, will be instrumental to their success.
“So we are looking to build a network of like-minded individuals – be they social entrepreneurs, working with or are beneficiaries of social enterprise – to support our project and help these students with their business plans. During each of the five sessions in the Spring Term we wish to invite a guest speaker to excite, encourage and empower the students, as well as utilising the knowledge and experience of others to advise and guide the teams. To help shape their ideas, we are also looking for individuals who are willing to be interviewed by our teams to help them broaden their understanding of the sector or even to offer work experience to our budding entrepreneurs.”
If you are interested in getting involved, please complete the Google Form and we will be in touch early in the New Year. As a thank you, we will look to promote your involvement (and business) via social media throughout the term.