Enterprise Week 2009
GUEST SPEAKER FOR WEDNESDAY
MIKE PERHAM
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Age
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Mike is 17 years old. He will turn 18 on 16th March 2010.
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Mike's History
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In 2007, at the age of fourteen Mike became the youngest person to ever sail across the Atlantic single-handed. He still holds that world record today.
In 2009 Mike again sailed into the record books when he became the youngest person to sail single-handed around the world. Hobbies Besides sailing, Mike is into all water sports including canoeing, water skiing and wind surfing, as well as biking, mountaineering and camping. He is also a keen down-hill skier and jazz drummer.
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What is Enterprise?
Have you ever thought about what it means to be Enterprising? To have a bold and adventurous spirit and willingness to undertake new ventures? Drive and ambition ‘To Be Whatever You Want To Be’?
While ’enterprise’ might suggest the development of the next generation of Richard Bransons and Alan Sugars, the definition – much debated over the last few years – is much broader.
Enterprise focuses on developing skills, attitudes and knowledge in three areas:
- Enterprise capability – innovation, creativity, risk management, risk taking, a ‘can-do’ attitude and a drive to make things happen
- Financial literacy – the ability to manage one’s own finances and to become questioning and informed consumers of financial services
- Business and economic understanding – the ability to understand the business context
The package of skills we use to describe enterprise are:
- the ability to assess and manage risk
- creativity
- resourcefulness
- business understanding and planning
- communication skills
- teamwork skills
- leadership skills
- self-efficacy
- and self-reliance
All these vital skills will help people to make their mark and have a positive impact on society.
What is Enterprise week?
Global Entrepreneurship Week (formally Enterprise Week) takes place from 16 – 22 November 2009.
Global Entrepreneurship Week puts the UK at the heart of a worldwide movement of entrepreneurial people that will see millions unleashing their ideas and turning them into reality. It’s about developing people’s enterprise skills and confidence to create new companies and new jobs for the economy, as well as solutions to global issues that affect the world’s most vulnerable people.
During Global Entrepreneurship Week thousands of events are run all over the world to encourage people to be entrepreneurial. It creates mass participation and exposes people of all ages and abilities to quality enterprise experiences – school students to university graduates to employees to the unemployed.
In the current economic climate we need entrepreneurs and enterprising people now more than ever - fresh thinkers who spot opportunities, apply their talents and overcome obstacles to make their ideas happen. Global Entrepreneurship Week puts the spotlight on enterprise, reframes the recession as a time for entrepreneurial opportunity and connects people across the country and the world.
Gordon Brown, Prime Minister, November 2008
“Global Entrepreneurship Week is a shining example of Britain leading the world in enterprise and innovation. At this time of unprecedented global change, I congratulate everyone involved in Global Entrepreneurship Week for encouraging people and countries to work together to find new ways to succeed.”
Sir Alan Sugar, entrepreneur and star of BBC1’s The Apprentice
“A thriving, can-do enterprise culture is part of what makes Britain a great place to do business. Global Entrepreneurship Week is important because it inspires a whole new generation of budding entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into reality.”
Nicolas Sarkozy, President of Republic of France
“Entrepreneurs carry a vision. They have the energy to develop themselves, the capacity to innovate and to create employment. We need them, their dynamism and their success to overcome this financial crisis, to adapt ourselves to a new world that is emerging in these beginnings of the 21st century… I therefore wish the greatest success to… Global Entrepreneurship Week in France, Europe and the world. “
- Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the Republic of France
David Frost, BCC
“Thriving successful businesses are the lifeblood of prosperous communities. It has never been more important to support the next generation of wealth creating entrepreneurs – particularly in these challenging economic times.”
- David Frost, Director General, British Chambers of Commerce.
Shriti Vadera, BIS
"There are 20% more people in enterprise in the US than in Britain, and the majority of that gap is made up of women. Getting more women entrepreneurs is an economic issue not just an equality issue. If we were to match US levels of women’s enterprise there would be 900,000 new businesses in the UK.”
- Shriti Vadera, Minister for Economic Competitiveness and Small Business
John Bird, Big Issue
“Social Enterprise isn't a new idea but it's a model that's finally starting to get the recognition it deserves, and recent economic instability has only served to increase support for ‘good’ businesses... I hope that Social Enterprise Day will encourage even more young people to think about how their business ideas can change the world.”
- John Bird, Founder, Big Issue
Miles Templeman, IoD
“Celebrating the spirit of enterprise and innovation in UK is essential. The wealth of creative entrepreneurial ideas from young people participating in Global Entrepreneurship Week is a positive indication that the next generation has the motivation to influence and create change through enterprise.”
Miles Templeman, Director General, IoD
Wednesday 18 November
Women’s Enterprise Day:
Celebrate inspiring women! Women’s Enterprise Day is all about celebrating successful female entrepreneurs, and inspiring more women and girls to turn their ideas into reality. Last year we encouraged women to aim higher by thinking big when unleashing their enterprising ideas to make the most of their untapped talent.
Working with Make Your Mark Ambassador Calypso Rose, who fronted
successful Pocket the Problem campaign in 2008, we’re giving
your students the opportunity to design a product for her school
range of customisable accessories. Students will win the chance
to have their product professionally designed and packaged by
Clippy.
Find out more at www.gew.org.uk/education
Thursday 19 November
Social Enterprise Day:
A social enterprise is a business with aims which are primarily social or environmental and whose surpluses are ploughed back into the business or community. The focus on this day is to help inspire the next generation of social entrepreneurs and encourage them to start-up businesses that might help address some of society’s biggest problems.
Following on from the success of the One
Water Project last year, we are again working with Global Ethics
to challenge your students to come up with an idea for the next
‘One’ product. The winning idea will then be produced and 100%
of the profits from its sale will be used to tackle the problem in
the developing world.
Friday 20 November
Go global:
With over 80 countries taking part in Global
Entrepreneurship Week this year, it’s an ideal opportunity to
really celebrate the global dimension and connections of the
week. From running a trade game with a partner school
abroad, to making money for a school in a developing country,
there are tonnes of ways to add a global theme to your activities.
Check out our ideas bank at www.gew.org.uk/resources
GUEST SPEAKER FOR TUESDAY:
KIMBERLEY DAVIS
Last Modified: 09/12/2009
