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Case Study : Parents In Enterprise

Parents And Students Work Together To Create New Businesses

Darwen Aldridge Community Academy is the first school in the UK to have a main specialism of entrepreneurship. Their Darwen Creates project aims to support young entrepreneurs in education and beyond by providing the support, facilities and infrastructure they need to start their own business. A key part of the project is engaging with both students and parents to develop their entrepreneurial skills.

Giant Impact were invited to develop a one day family learning programme around entrepreneurship. Entitled “Turning Ideas into Action”, the objective of the programme was for students and parents to work together to generate business ideas and develop them into a business plan.

Darwen Aldridge Community AcademyDuring the morning session, the students from Years 7 to 10 worked in teams on two challenges designed to test their teamwork, creativity and problem solving. Following this, the students then generated a list of more then 20 new business ideas, with each team deciding on an idea to develop for the rest of the day.

In the afternoon, the teams allocated roles such as MD, Sales and Marketing, Operations and Financial Director. They worked up their business case, including branding, marketing, financial forecasts, and their final presentation.

What made this programme unique was that the teams were joined midway through the afternoon by their parents, some of whom run their own businesses in Darwen. The parents then acted as ‘consultants’ to the teams, helping them to develop their business plan further and prepare to present it. The day ended with the team presentations and prizes for a range of achievements.

Feedback from students, parents and staff was exceptional and the free comments contain important messages for all schools.

Students’ replies to “what I liked most”:

  • Being with and getting to know other people has helped my confidence
  • I enjoyed working in a team and helping others in my group
  • It’ll help me to create my own business
  • ‘Learning how to become a millionaire’ and other business skills
  • I liked it when our parents came in

Parents - “what I liked most”:

    Darwen Aldridge Community Academy
  • The interaction between children, teachers and parents
  • Meeting other students and spending time with my son
  • Being involved with the kids
  • It helps with communication between parents and pupils
  • Doing something different that the children will benefit from
  • Discovering that the art of communication between children and adults is still very much alive
  • Seeing the ideas the students put into a project and seeing their enthusiasm
  • Giving advice and encouragement to the students
  • That the School is actively involved with helping children with entrepreneurship skills and involving external companies
  • A relaxed atmosphere for parents and students
  • I found it interesting and a good way to involve parents with their children

The main parental complaint was that they had not been there all day to work with the students!

Staff comments:

Max LarcombeMax Larcombe, Darwen Creates Project Manager, said "Turning Ideas into Action was a unique solution to a unique challenge. This was our first attempt to engage with parents and students to develop entrepreneurial skills and it proved to be a great success. Giant Impact developed a new programme to achieve the outcomes we were looking for and the feedback has been excellent."

Are you an entrepreneur?

Sponsored by the Aldridge Foundation, Darwen Aldridge Community Academy is a place where every student can realise their potential. Developing a positive attitude and a determination to succeed are key entrepreneurial qualities that our nurtured in their students. Students also focus on the development of employability skills and entrepreneurial capabilities with specialist business support.

Brendan Loughran, the Principal, says: "We endeavour to instil an entrepreneurial attitude and capability in all our students, so that they can be successful in their entrepreneurial projects or in whatever future career path they choose."

Darwen Aldridge Community AcademyThe Academy will shortly move into a new school building adjacent to Darwen Town Centre and will feature a unique business incubation centre designed to support young people in starting a business. Consisting of 11 individual office pods based on the entrepreneurship bridge, Darwen Creates will be a focal point for entrepreneurship within the community.

T: 01254 819500
W: www.daca.uk.com

Darwen Aldridge Community Academy opened in September 2008. It is an independent non fee-paying school and specialises in entrepreneurship. The main aim of the Academy is to provide the highest quality of education for students in the main school and in the new Sixth Form. The Academy also offers facilities and learning opportunities for engaging with the wider community, including the local business community.

Darwen Aldridge Community Academy, Holden Fold, Darwen, Lancashire, BB3 3AU

Mike Watson, Managing Director,
Giant Impact, Gadley Close, Buxton, SK17 6YQ
Contact Telephone: 01298 71091
W www.giantimpact.co.uk
E: mike@giantimpact.co.uk

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