Tuesday 10th July 2012

9.45 – 2pm

Magna Science & Adventure Centre, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Young people and the communities in which they live face unprecedented challenge in coping with the shift from an age of industry to an age of knowledge, creativity and enterprise. Globalisation, changes in technology and employment and the recent recession are having a profound impact on how we work and live.

At ‘Are You Ready?’ we believe that enterprise is a critical part of 21st century learning. Teachers, businesses, parents and the wider community have significant skills and expertise which can contribute to transforming the future of education for young people and strengthening our communities.

‘Are You Ready?’ have been working with NESTA (National Endowment of Science Technology and Arts) since 2011 to explore the power of partnerships in developing enterprise and will share this learning at this national conference.

The day will comprise of;

• Inspiration from education and industry
• Examples of partnership best practice in enterprise learning
• Discussion with peers and colleagues
• Opportunities to ask questions
• A 4-19 young person-led enterprise learning market

Places are charged at £120 per delegate.

Bookings made before 31st May 2012 can receive an Early Bird discount of £20 per booking.

Lunch will be provided for all attendees – please specify on your booking if you have any special dietary requirements.

Bookings can be made by emailing Becky Mollart on becky@areyouready.org.uk or calling 07717450985 for more information or group booking discounts.

The Duke, who has a special interest in business and enterprise, visited Herringthorpe Infants school in Rotherham, South Yorks, where he met teachers, pupils and staff involved in the award-winning education programme, Rotherham Ready.

Herringthorpe is the only Infant school in the world to have an entrepreneurship speciality and the Duke saw children as young as four who are learning about the skills and attitudes needed in the world of work and business.

Rotherham Ready, which was launched in 2005, has become internationally acclaimed for its approach to integrating enterprise into learning for all children aged 4-19. The town won the prestigious Enterprising Britain competition in 2010 for this work. And in 2011, following the launch of the national facing part of the programme, ‘Are You Ready?’, won the StartUp Britain ‘Best Enterprise Support’ award at the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.

Rotherham Ready Project Officer Catherine Brentnall: “The Duke recognised the disconnect between education and business and seemed genuinely impressed with the way we’re bridging the gap and the real impact our work is having on children and young people. What was really encouraging was that he seemed interest in the national significance of the programme and the wider impact we can have across the UK.”

Nancy Cresswell-Hall, 6, was one of the many pupils who chatted to the Duke during his visit to Herringthorpe Infants. She told him all about a classroom exercise based on the shoddy service given by the company who provided the Emperor’s New Clothes. The Duke also met Danny West who set up his own successful pizza party business and now also works as a Rotherham Ready mentor.

Following the success of Rotherham Ready, the programme has been replicated in Hull, North Lincolnshire, Calderdale, Scarborough, and most recently, Derbyshire in a bid to help young people develop alternatives to the unprecedented challenges they now face amidst youth unemployment of a million plus.

PICTURE CAPTION: The Duke with young entrepreneurs from Herringthorpe Infants.

Over the last 5 years, the ‘Are You Ready?’ team have been working with a host of teaching professionals across the primary key stages to explore enterprise and entrepreneurialism from ages 4 – 11.

We have trained hundreds of Head teachers, classroom teachers, teaching assistants and learning mentors to harness the power of enterprise to transform teaching and learning in their settings. Now we’re taking our acclaimed ‘Inspire’ training on a UK tour!

Our ‘Inspire Pioneers’ training programme supports schools to harness enterprise as a vehicle for school improvement, raise aspirations and develop young people’s enterprise skills and attitudes.

Delegates will return to school with a wealth of ideas and resources to launch enterprise through existing curriculum.

For full details and bookings, please see http://www.areyouready.org.uk/inspire/ or email becky@areyouready.org.uk

Our ‘Are You Ready?’ campaign continues to gather momentum and key partners are giving their support every day.

Read the campaign here and don’t forget to sign the e- petition: www.areyouready.co.uk/campaign

We have big hopes for 2012 at ‘Are You Ready?’ and hope you’ll be coming along for the ride.

If you’re a school / college /university interested in creating a culture of enterprise in your setting please get in touch with one of the team, as our new training offers are likely to be the answer to your prayers!

If you’re a business looking to innovate your CSR offer or alternatively, are interested in joining the ‘Are You Ready?’ army – please let us know!

This year we want to create a movement which will change the face of education and make it fit for the 21st century – let’s go!

‘Are You Ready?’ works with schools and colleges to develop enterprising and entrepreneurial learning for young people aged 4-19 so they develop the skills, attitudes and aspirations necessary to survive and thrive in the 21^st century.

Now ‘Are You Ready?’ is calling on the government to make enterprise and entrepreneurship a key part of all young people’s learning and has launched a government e-petition to try and spark a debate about how young people are educated for life in the 21^st century.

Catherine Brentnall, ‘Are You Ready?’ Project Officer, said: “Changes in technology and the global economy have transformed business and employment beyond recognition. Young people have got to be ready for what’s out there; we are doing them a huge disservice if they come through their education without understanding that if they want a job in the future they might have to employ themselves. Our campaign is about inspiring children and young people to become creative, resourceful and energetic adults who can help us all build a more prosperous future. But attitudes and mindsets are formed at an early age and that’s why we believe enterprise and entrepreneurship must be a key feature of all young people’s education, from as soon as they start school.”

‘Are You Ready?’ was launched in June 2011, with support from founding Patron Carl Hopkins, a Channel 4 Secret Millionaire and social entrepreneur. In October 2011, the ‘Are You Ready?’ campaign gained national recognition when it won the StartUp Britain ‘Best Enterprise Support Award’, presented by the Rt Hon Vince Cable at the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. Judges in the competition were impressed by the campaign’s values and the potential scale and impact of the programme.

The team behind ‘Are You Ready?’ have developed ‘Ready’ enterprise education programmes in North Lincolnshire, Calderdale, Scarborough andHull. Their flagship scheme, Rotherham Ready, was the first to be developed in 2005. In 2010,Rotherhamwon the Enterprising Britain competition, run by Dragon’s Den star Peter Jones. The town became the ‘Most Enterprising Place in the UK’ after Rotherham Ready showcased their approach to creating a culture of enterprise in education and inspiring young people about the world of work, business and self employment.

Becky Mollart, ‘Are You Ready’ Schools Liaison Officer said; “We passionately believe that enterprise is an essential part of a 21^st century education. We want to put enterprise at the top of the education agenda and create a movement towards enterprise in education that will help young people become successful and fulfilled adults.”

The ‘Are You Ready?’ campaign needs to achieve at least 100,000 signatures for the issue to be considered for debate in The House of Commons.

Jackie Frost, ‘Are You Ready?’ Project Manager and winner of the Queens Award forEnterprisesaid; “We are an extremely committed team – we have seen the positive impact enterprise and entrepreneurship in education has had, with children from as young as 4 years old learning new skills, and growing in confidence and aspiration. Now we want to inspire schools, colleges and universities nationally to prioritise enterprise, support young people’s enterprise development and help create a dynamic economy.”

The award recognises programmes targeting regional growth and enterprise, but   which have the capacity for scaling nationally. It was open to start-ups or individuals   that may have had a positive social and economic impact in their region, are   sustainable, and have been running for less than three years.

Are You Ready? is a national, 4-19 enterprise programme based on the   ground- breaking work of their local flagship project – Rotherham Ready.  The    Are You Ready? campaign aims to prepare young people for the challenges and opportunities of life in the 21st century by inspiring teachers to integrate enterprise skills and culture into the life and curriculum of schools and colleges.

Secret Millionaire and social entrepreneur Carl Hopkins gave his backing to the pioneering programme by becoming a founding patron in June 2011.

Representatives from the Are You Ready? team were presented the award by Business Secretary Vince Cable. He said: “Enterprise is the lifeblood of our economy and the people represented in this competition show just how much British entrepreneurs can achieve.”

Judges of the competition were impressed by the fact the initiative is “scalable and easy to replicate in other countries.” Are You Ready? have successfully replicated the Rotherham model of developing enterprise in Hull, North Lincolnshire, Calderdale and Scarborough, with additional training planned to be delivered across the UK.

Since launching in June 2011 with the support of our founding patron, Carl Hopkins (Channel 4 Secret Millionaire and social entrepreneur) we’re working hard on our mission to effect massive cultural change across the UK.

Becky Mollart, Schools Liaison Officer said, “We’re so excited about the prospects the StartUp Britain award can offer. We believe we have a blueprint for success in developing enterprise and we’re keen to share our expertise across the UK.”

Through Are You Ready? we have developed several “Ready” projects throughout the North following the success of the flagship project – Rotherham Ready – which is internationally acclaimed. Hull Ready, Scarborough Ready, Calderdale Ready and North Lincolnshire Ready are all reaping the rewards the programme has had to offer through innovative employer engagement programmes and leading CPD to develop a culture of enterprise in primary schools.

Now, in September we will be facing a panel of leading employers and entrepreneurs as we aim to win the Best Enterprise Support Award competition, sponsored by Ernst and Young. There are five finalists for the Enterprise Support Award, which will be presented as a special award at the UK final of UK’s Entrepreneur of the Year in London’s Hilton Park Lane hotel, on 3 October, hosted by Fiona Bruce and attended by Business Secretary, Vince Cable.

The Ernst & Young ceremony, which celebrates the most exceptional, growing and dynamic businesses, is the world’s most prestigious award of its kind, culminating in the crowning of the UK Entrepreneur of the Year on the evening.

Rotherham was one of just 17 council’s from across the UK that was selected to work intensively with the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts (NESTA) and the LG Group over the coming months to challenge and develop their ideas, before five are selected to receive financial and non-financial support to put them into practice.

The Creative Councils programme, which launched in April, will support pioneering councils to develop, implement and spread transformational new approaches to meeting some of the biggest medium and long-term challenges facing communities and local services.

Rotherham Borough Council submitted an idea to explore how the borough’s award winning enterprise education programme – Rotherham Ready – could be replicated nationally, creating a culture of enterprise in education.

Rotherham has a unique borough wide strategy for developing a culture of enterprise. Rotherham Ready, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, promotes enterprise and entrepreneurship throughout education and then Rotherham Youth Enterprise supports young people to start businesses in the town, with 232 youth businesses launched in the last five years.

This approach led to Rotherham being crowned ‘The Most Enterprising Place in Britain’ last November, beating off stiff competition from across Great Britain in the prestigious Enterprising Britain competition, headed up by Dragon’s Den Star, Peter Jones.

‘Ready’ programmes have been developed in other parts of Yorkshire and the Humber, supported by the Young People’s Enterprise Forum. Hull Ready, North Lincolnshire Ready, Calderdale Ready and Scarborough Ready have all been launched. Rotherham Ready recently launched a national brand – ‘Are You Ready?’ – supported by Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire, Carl Hopkins.

Catherine Brentnall, Rotherham Ready ERDF Project Officer, said: “It’s fantastic news that our borough wide approach to enterprise is recognised as having potential to transform communities across the UK. Developing a culture of enterprise in education and supporting youth business is crucial for a dynamic economy, long term growth and to enable young people to fulfil their potential. We are excited about working with NESTA and the LG Group to see how our ideas could be taken to scale.”

Over the next few months Rotherham will receive practical support to develop their idea, with the opportunity to access financial and non-financial support over the next six months.

Ultimately, it is expected that five of the most promising ideas will be selected to receive significant financial and non-financial support to put their ideas into practice, including supporting their spread to other areas.

For more information please contact Catherine Brentnall, Rotherham Ready ERDF Project Officer on 07825 125 438.

And for more information about Rotherham Ready and ‘Are You Ready?’ please visit:

www.rotherhamready.org.uk
www.areyouready.org.uk

For more information on the Creative Councils programme visit:

www.nesta.org.uk

A full day of inspiration and innovation is on the menu as the Are You Ready? team and their Founding Patron, Carl Hopkins (a Channel 4 Secret Millionaire) share how to use enterprise as a vehicle for school improvement and how to effectively engage employers to raise aspirations.

Promising to leave you buzzing with ideas and armed full of resources, this isn’t an event you will want to miss.

For just £120 you will receive Are You Ready? CPD certification, a selection of Are You Ready? resources and lunch as part of the day. Places are limited and allocated by booking only.

To make a booking, please contact Michelle Trench at: michelle.trench@rotherham.gov.uk

On 28th June at Magna, Rotherham, the Are You Ready team are hosting a FREE national conference like no other. With guest speakers including Phil Beadle, from Channel 4’s The Unteachable’s and Sabirul Islam, creative Young Entrepreneur and author of ‘The World at Your Feet’ – this conference is offering CPD workshops, a 4-19 enterprise learning market and even more ideas and inspiration for delegates to take back into the classroom.

Places are allocated through bookings only and on a first come, first served basis. To reserve your place, please contact Michelle Trench on; michelle.trench@rotherham.gov.uk