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Students really mean business
2 March 2007
Budding entrepreneurs are being helped by volunteers from Bupa Health Insurance to become business hotshots.
Six staff from the health insurer’s offices in Salford Quays are supporting students from the Stretford Grammar School in Greater Manchester to set up and run their own companies.
Split into three teams of two, the Bupa employees work for an hour a week with groups of between 10 and 15 pupils. Their advice has helped the pupils to get their businesses off the ground and further guidance is being given to promote and sell their chosen product.
One set of students are organising a fashion show to raise money to publish a poetry book, the second group are making greeting cards for sale both within and outside the school and the third group are offering tuition to younger pupils and they are marketing their services through a website, posters and school events.
Neil Barker, a finance manager at Bupa Health Insurance, said: “It’s a great opportunity for the students to learn more about the world of work and for us, as mentors, to develop our skills in working with people. It’s also challenging to pass on our knowledge in a way that will appeal to 16 and 17-year-old pupils and we’re all benefiting from the experience.”
The link up has been forged between Bupa Community Connections and Young Enterprise, the UK’s leading business and enterprise education charity. The Bupa Community Connections team was set up to give assistance and support to all the good work already being done by Bupa people in their communities and to encourage more people to get involved.
The companies will run until May when the groups will then report back to Young Enterprise as part of its search for outstanding young entrepreneurs.
Jeanette Ashton, head of sixth form at Stretford Grammar School, said: “Without all of the advisers from Bupa, this scheme would be impossible to run. The benefits of each group having two advisers experienced in the world of business are an invaluable knowledge resource and we also appreciate their enthusiasm and support. As a result of their help, students are highly motivated and able to approach their meetings and commitments in a more professional, business-like way.”
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