Social Enterprise Day competition 2009
Competition: what type of Social Firm would you set up and why?
This year Social Enterprise Day was held on Thursday 19 November, as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. To celebrate we, Social Firms UK, in partnership with Make Your Mark Club, ran a competition asking what type of Social Firm people would set up if they could and why. Two groups of teenagers aged between 14 and 16 years old, one from Bournemouth and one from Manchester have been selected as the winners. Says Sally Reynolds, CEO of Social Firms UK, “Congratulations to all the students who took part. We were really impressed by everyone’s entries and delighted that young people, who are of course our future, are engaging with the idea of running a Social Firm.”
The winning students from Radcliffe Riverside School in Manchester suggested that a call centre would make a good business for disabled people. It would also have a staff canteen that employed people with learning disabilities and get its business from small private sector companies. Says Sally Reynolds, CEO of Social Firms UK, “We thought this idea was well thought through from start to finish, and liked its originality and clarity.”
Meanwhile the other winning group from Avonbourne School in Bournemouth came up with the idea of a sports and activity centre for people wounded in war. Sally Reynolds, commented, “We thought this idea was really original, timely and full of potential for turning into a Social Firm.”
The winning prize for each of the groups is to visit a Social Firm near them in the new year. Watch this space to see how they get on with their visit....
How the competition worked
Students, in teams of 4 to 6 people answered the following questions:
(up to 200 words)
The prize
The prize is for the winning two groups (and an accompanying teacher) to see a Social Firm in action! The visit will include travel and lunch and will be arranged for a mutually convenient time. However, all entrants received a certificate to acknowledge their entry.
The rules
The participating students were aged 14-16. The winning groups were decided by a panel of judges of staff at the Social Firm national support organisation, Social Firms UK. Credit was given for those answers which showed an understanding of what Social Firms are set up to do, and creativity and sustainability in terms of the business idea proposed. The judges' decision was final.
Support materials for students and teachers
We have produced a teacher pack to introduce you to Social Firms. It includes an introduction to Social Firms, suggested 45 minute lesson plan to help people generate ideas, and a list of useful places to look for more information. Download the full teacher pack resource here.