Procter and Gamble (P&G) visited Success4All (S4A Co-operative cic) to judge and share their expert advice on the products the children and young people have designed for the Junior Apprentice project.
The money funded to Success4All meant that each learning hub could offer the children an opportunity to design, create and then sell their product idea. They will not receive the award until the end of the school year, as the leader of the project Emily Wastell, with help from Success4All, hopes to re-invest the money that is made into the continuation of the project.
The project idea was influenced by the TV show ‘The Apprentice’. In The Apprentice the groups are given different tasks every week. Just like the programme, next term the children will be given another task.
Kirstie Nilsson from P&G thinks that ‘it is brilliant that you are showing children at such a young age some really crucial life skills about business and money management. It has been a privilege to see the children have so much energy, drive and enthusiasm to succeed.’
Not only does it give them a chance to develop their entrepreneurial skills, such as design, persuasion, organisation, budgeting and team work but WEYDA (West End Young Digital Artists), another S4A club and young enterprise in the making based at Newcastle City Learning Centre, have been commissioned to film the week of judging and recommendations. They got the chance to meet P&G and showcase their previous work.
Busola, who has been helping Emily with the running of the Junior Apprentice, would like to thank P&G for their continued help. “The children were so excited that someone outside of their community were interested in what they have been working on, and P&G’s visit has spurred the children on to complete the project.”
The competition is being sponsored by vInspired, a leading volunteering charity in the UK for young people. It was due to the hard work of Emily Wastell, a young Newcastle University Graduate who now works with Success4All, that the funding was approved, enabling her to lead the Junior Apprentice project.
Caroline Afolabi, founder and director of S4A Co-operative cic appreciates the work of vInspired. ‘At Success4All we believe in young people learning from each other which matches perfectly with vInspired who’s focus is on young people and connecting them with volunteering opportunities.’
P&G have been a brilliant part of the expansion this year. Their sponsorship allowed Success4All to continue running their learning hub at the Millin Centre for a year and additionally gave their own time and energy in giving a makeover to the Bentinck Residents Association Centre in Elswick, where S4A was asked to set up a learning hub by parents. S4A received further support from Elswick Ward Committee and Elswick First Community.
For more info visit www.s4a.org.uk
