After a year of planning the Social Enterprise Hub project launched this week. A collaboration between The Abbey School, Henley Centre for Entrepreneurship (part of Henley Business School) and Reading School, the aim of the project is to empower young entrepreneurs to develop social enterprise businesses of the future.

Through this innovative new partnership, students from The Abbey School and Reading School will develop the skills required to start-up and lead businesses that are driven by a social and environmental mission and that reinvest profits into creating positive social change.

Head of Business Management at The Abbey, Charles Lovibond says “Our students can’t wait to get started.  They are fizzing with ideas with the potential to make a tangible difference within our local communities of Reading. The partnership with the Henley Centre for Entrepreneurship, will provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to turn their ideas into successful business models for the future”.

Phoebe:

Social Enterprise is such an excellent opportunity to learn about business in a practical and a theoretical way, whilst also positively impacting and improving our local community. Furthering the local community is a passion and goal for me, and Social Enterprise presents an exciting challenge and chance to act upon this. Following the first session which outlined the definition of a social enterprise, I am excited to understand more, and ultimately to work with others to create and run a new social enterprise, hopefully to be implemented in our community to the benefit of others.

Issy:

I am very excited to be a part of the Social Enterprise project, as it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to make an ongoing change to our community. Since starting the talks at Henley Business School, I have realised that we will learn so many transferable skills while also getting to make a difference, which makes me even more enthusiastic about the process. 

The programme will be guided by Enterprise undergraduates and fortnightly meetings will take place at the University of Reading (Whiteknights) campus and The Abbey School.