The programme successfully delivered x10 workshops across multiple learning establishments over the course of the Global Entrepreneurship week (GEW) from 13 to 17 November 2023. This was funded and supported by both the Careers Enterprise Company and TVCA, giving the opportunity for some 250 students to participate in an entrepreneur experience including the creative sector, focused on setting up and running their own business.
Schools engaged included Grangefield Academy, Darlington LSC, St Patrick’s Catholic College, Acklam Grange School, Outwood Academy Bishopsgarth, Darlington College and Prior Pursglove College.
The providers who supported the GEW and Creative Careers Week included:
The workshops offered to the schools were on first come, first served basis. The events were offered through the TVCA Shoutout Portal with two types of workshops available – short courses for KS3 and 4, and a more involved workshop for KS5 students. All of these were delivered on site at the school or college.
The workshops engaged with students from KS3 up to KS5 – With EMS and Creative sector offering shorter taste sessions for Y7, 8 & 9 students. All the workshops were delivered on site at the school.
YE delivered a more involved entrepreneur experience, again on-site, for Y10, 11, 12, & 13 based around a half-day workshop.
The workshops on offer included:
The Launch Pad activities – Focus on students working in a group of six, in five groups (30 students max) taking over and relaunching an existing business.
Part one – The teams decide which business they wish to purchase – it could be a cafe, bike shop, gym, smoothie bar or others, however there is only one business of each available and the teams are in competition. Teams need to decide how much investment they will need to purchase their business, plus do a SWOT analysis, look initially at branding, logo, target market and what will set them apart from the competition. The students will meet with an investor who will give them feedback and invest in the enterprise.
Part two – Teams launch the business by creating what is needed (e.g. menus), the shop layout, costs, marketing and promotional material and the launch/opening event.
Part three – Teams deliver an elevator pitch to a panel of judges with various “awards” to be won.
Well-Known Entrepreneurs – In part to get the group to open up with a group discussion or shoutout for who they know are, or who they think are, well-known entrepreneurs, could link to what we think about these people and any common links between them that are known or assumed.
Do you know anyone self-employed? – Similar to the above but bringing it more local and closer to them. Is anyone in their network or family self-employed, or were they previously, with a follow up on what they do and what do they say about self-employment.
Typical roles for self-employed – Group discussion with shoutouts for people that are typically self-employed and the varied opportunities on offer, e.g. hairdressers, driving instructors, taxi drivers, shop owners etc.
Generic skills for successful self-employment – Slightly more in-depth (potentially) focused on the skills a successful self-employed person needs, looking at curriculum subjects and were they fit into career pathways.
Difference between self-employed and employed – Looking at the main differences between an employed role and self-employed e.g., holidays, sick pay, control, more opportunities, giving a balanced view, essentially creating a pros and cons list.
Key areas to enable a successful business launch – Potentially smaller groups activity, getting them to think about what aspects would make a business successful, with a business basics list created.
The workshop focused on a first-hand experience of making a career (and a living) in the arts and culture sector.
It covered a diverse experience spanning roles such as performer, director, dramaturge, programmer, tour-booker, creative producer and managing small and large-scale cross-artform projects. The different areas in which you can work were also highlighted, such as theatre companies, creative collectives, local authorities, the criminal justice service, arts centres, universities, arts organisations and festivals in the UK and abroad.
The workshop covered what a career in the arts might look like, what possibilities derive from a background of performing arts and useful insights and tips on how to go about making the most of the plethora of opportunities that are out there.
It also outlined more about Festival of Thrift, a regularly funded arts organisation in the Tees Valley with an annual outdoor arts festival – a free celebration of sustainability, creativity and community spirit and a year-round programme of workshops, events, and opportunities to get involved with.
The workshop delivered one-hour “Young Curators” session for Y 7, 8, 9.
They included an opportunity to see the videos that TVCA officer Heather Walker has made around careers in museums and are an exciting opportunity and experience for children to discover the roles involved in running a successful museum.
Classes were given an opportunity to discover more about local museum collections, work with loans objects and develop an understanding about what makes local collections so exciting and important.
Students also put their own skills to the test and were invited to participate in a team challenge to produce a successful museum exhibition. And of course, in true entrepreneur style, there were opportunities to pitch team ideas against their classmates at the end of the session.
The workshop is aimed at 16–18-year-old, focused working freelance in creative industries within the Tees Valley.
This included:
Gatsby benchmarks
PAL
Delivered x10 workshops across multiple learning environments engaged with approx. 250 students covering multiple year groups.
Some of the workshops were videoed for CPD and sharing across TVCA careers website and socials:
St Patrick’s workshop – https://youtu.be/yJUk4JPaum8
Acklam Grange workshop – https://youtu.be/7GAYdIQEsbk
Subjects and Topics
All learning establishments have had the opportunity to evaluate the workshops – Below is an example of evaluations completed to date.
Feedback from teachers, staff and students includes:
On the Young Enterprise – Entrepreneurship / Business Start Up workshop, Grangefield Academy teacher Faye Todd said: “Students really enjoyed the session and took a lot of vital information about starting your own business. The students loved getting involved with the creative aspect of designing and running your own business and put an extreme amount of effort into the small details. They were engrossed for the full session.”
On the Creative Sector Workshop delivered by Festival of Thrift, Darlington College teacher Karl Oldridge said: “The event was very good. The students found it interesting and the presenters supported the ideas and observations that I have been discussing with the students about careers in previous lessons. The students all said they were now aware that hustling is something they will need to do in the creative industries to get things done and to create opportunities.” They were also made aware of numerous opportunities that are being developed specifically in the Northeast of England for work in Film & TV.
Resources the providers utilised included iPads, workbooks, single activity sheets and props.
Further resources have been provided via the TVCA careers website including case studies, videos and downloadable activities.
https://www.teesvalleycareers.com/business/
https://www.teesvalleycareers.com/education/toolkit-resources/global-entrepreneurship-week/
