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The Vital Few… An RSA initiative to support young entrepreneurs A pathfinder project focussed on Selected schools in the South-East
The Vital Few…
An RSA initiative to support young entrepreneurs
A pathfinder project focussed on
Selected schools in the South-East
Who’s Driving it Forward?
• The Royal Society of the Arts, Commerce & Manufactures
• Steering Group based in the South-East
• Supported by the RSA’s 27,000 Fellows
• Together with key entrepreneurial organisations
The Vital Few - Steering Group
• Small Key team aided & abetted by local organisations & academies
• We are educational leadership, urban innovation and financial experts with a sprinkling of serial entrepreneurs
Project Drivers
• Help reduce historically high levels youth unemployment
• Provide long-term support, not short term fixes• Mobilise and use RSA skills base and local
enterprises, directing them towards needy young entrepreneurs
• Specifically enabling those with great ideas, but limited social and familial support
• Create new enterprises for the 21st Century and act as catalysts for enhanced economic recovery
Our timeline so far…
Aug Sep-12 Oct-12 Nov-12Apr-12 May-12 J un-12 J ul-12Dec-11 J an-12 Feb-12 Mar-12
Derek
Wright
unveils
concept
@RSA
Launch in
time for
new
school
year
Liason
with RSA
local &
National
initiatives
Concept
developed at
monthly
meetings
Jan-April
Steering
Group
formed
The Vital Few Timeline
What’s missing in schemes for young entrepreneurs?
• Universities/Business Schools usually only help their own alumni
• Govt. support aimed at long-term unemployed• Existing programmes (e.g. Prince’s Trust, Young
Enterprise) only provide a few months help• Private investment/funding aimed at school
leavers & those already in work• Focus on entrepreneurship skills & knowledge
transfer• An effective forum for engaging with local
business and allowing disparate groups to converse with entrepreneurs willing to share their experiences
Project Objectives
• Create, motivate & support a ‘rising tide’ of enterprise in schools
• Add value to real businesses with an actual ‘Profit & Loss’
• Support future wealth creators and potential employers; the next generation of Branson’s & Sugar’s
• Create new stand-alone businesses in the local community
What’s on offer?A Wisdom Group
which will provide:• 1:1 mentoring• Skills Bank• Project Support• Access to local business
owners• Shared knowledge &
expertise• National & Global reach
How will this be accessed
An Information
Vortex which will deliver access to:
• School’s Drop days• Interactive Enterprise
Pods• Pop-up events• A knowledge-led learning
platform
Our Strategy & Next Steps• Target potential
entrepreneurs 14 -18 yrs group
• Pilot with Schools & Academies existing platforms to deliver benefits of Wisdom Group and Vortex
• Proof of Concept – roll out in SE, then nationally with RSA support
But not forgetting most importantly…..
• Encouraging and developing temporary and permanent venues in the South-East and later nationally, where those disenfranchised from the schools system can also access the full range of resources on offer
Remember!• We CAN make a difference• We CAN stop the waste of young people and
their talents• We CAN create new entrepreneurs, new
enterprises, new employers, new jobs and so provide hope for the future………
Contact
Derek Wright 01424 870035
Mark Hadley 07851 849813
