Young Enterprise Scheme

The Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) involves student groups, supported by mentors and teachers, forming companies to manufacture and market a product or service, then producing a business report and balance sheet on their success. An effective team operation, commercial, entrepreneurial and marketing skills are essential for success. There are New Zealand regional finals, then an annual national award ceremony in Wellington, featuring a trip to Singapore for representatives of the top three YES companies for New Zealand.

YES is a partnership between one or more teaching department(s) of a school and mentor(s) from local business. Generally there is a group of four to twelve senior students with a teacher, usually from Commerce or Technology, and a business mentor. Some schools have more mentors per group or more than one group.

There is a national organisation. Each region has an office with a co-ordinator who sources the mentors, organises communications for the structured programme in each area, trouble-shoots and runs the various fun and sharing combined activities with active support of the lead sponsor.

This is the “flagship” programme of the Enterprise NZ Trust, formed in 1980 as the first organisation to address the major lack of linkage between NZ schools and business. With the Fletcher Challenge Trust as lead sponsor, supported by nine companies including NZBCSD member 3M, this international scheme is widely known to be of proven worth and continues to increase in size and scope.

In recent years action has been taken to improve the uptake by Māori through the involvement of the Poutama Trust and to support regions where enterprise development is a particularly important part of an overall economic and employment strategy. This began in Gisborne and has had a major uptake in Northland through the appointment of a regional co-ordinator and the involvement of the Northland Grow Trust.

Despite the challenging nature and time demands of the programme, many schools and mentors participate every year as the types of learning, creative opportunities and skill development are valuable and not available elsewhere in the school curriculum.

Business mentor(s) for Young Enterprise provide practical advice, encouragement and a context for the annual process of brainstorming, planning, manufacture and marketing of the product and preparation of the annual report and financial statements.

Only in mentor time unless offering sponsorship.

All secondary schools, generally at year 12 (sixth form) but other senior students are often involved.

The number of student companies depends on the size of the school. As with all education enhancement programmes there is an annual cycle to match the school year. Term one is orientation and planning, terms two and three are for manufacture, marketing and reporting while awards are made in term four with the option for all students to use this experience to gain a credential through the international Young Enterprise examination, sponsored in New Zealand by the Auckland University of Technology.

Ken Baker
Executive Director
Head Office, Wellington
Phone: 04 570 0452
Email: enterprisenz@enzt.co.nz

Annual local review by participant mentors, students and teachers. Annual reports by national office and external evaluation by sponsors.

This programme meets all partnership guidelines except ‘governance and management’ which is not applicable to most Education Enhancement programmes. It can meet all of the outcomes for students.

Pamphlets are available from the national office covering all aspects of the programme. Detailed information is available on the website www.enzt.co.nz.