Jack has a winning journey with Young Enterprise

Young Enterprise works with over 250,000 students every year and this year 20,000 young people set up and ran a real business with Company Programme. Jack was announced the winner of the Journey award at the Young Enterprise Final on July 6 at the BFI, London.

He won the award after overcoming tough obstacles to develop his key skills. Jack, who got involved with Young Enterprise with the Mary Seacole Housing Association, believes the programme has taught him how to see things through to the end and not give up.

Company Programme students develop their key employability skills by making all the decisions about their business, from deciding the company name and product, to creating a business plan, managing their finances and selling their products.

Jack was nominated for the Journey Award because he has really grown through the Young Enterprise experience. He has become more confident, enthusiastic and has shown complete dedication to the young Enterprise Project. Staff at Mary Seacole Housing Association have seen Jack develop over the past few months and he has accomplished things that he never thought he would.

Mary Seacole Housing is a supported accommodation service for homeless and vulnerable people; clients are supported from a state of dependence to that of independence. Mary Seacole Housing Association have been facilitating the Young Enterprise programme for two years now, with the support, mentoring and guidance of Kimberley Lamb; Young Enterprise manager for Bedfordshire. The programme was managed by Centre Lead Nicole Christophi, who is the Engagement and Safeguarding Officer at Mary Seacole Housing Association.

When Jack started the programme he was not comfortable talking within the group or confident doing presentations. Taking part in the Young Enterprise programme has developed and enhanced skills Jack already had but was not able to utilise due to a lack of confidence. Jack is now able to present to different people on a weekly basis and he is extremely natural and confident in talking in different group settings. A number of people have stated that they have seen a huge improvement in Jack and his self-esteem over the past few months and that has become more independent and determined to make a positive future for himself.