“…Co-operative enterprises provide the organisational means whereby a significant proportion of humanity is able to take into its own hands the task of creating productive employment, overcoming poverty and achieving social integration…”
Kofi Annan

Introduction

“The introduction, in September 2005, of schools funding for Enterprise Education at Key Stage 4 has created an unprecedented opportunity for schools to take the lead in providing young people with knowledge, skills and attributes for business, enterprise and the world of work. DfES defines Enterprise Education as consisting of enterprise capability supported by better financial capability and economic and business understanding. Ofsted identifies two other key elements: an enterprising learning environment in which students are encouraged to take the initiative; and an enterprise process which is akin to project working. Enterprise is also a key element of Work Related Learning which is statutory at Key Stage 4.”
Young Enterprise - click here

“Within enterprise education learners should have the opportunities to:
• get involved in a range of entrepreneurial activities, including business and
community projects, mini-enterprises, simulations, work and community placements, and enterprise days and events
• work with partners, for example other schools and training providers, education business link organisations, agencies that network voluntary bodies, business, social and community enterprises, governors and parents
• experience a range of teaching approaches that encourage active learning,
including problem-based approaches, collaborative and cooperative activities, coaching and mentoring
• establish some permanent, student-run companies that offer real opportunities to provide goods and services to the community, in addition to shorter-term mini-enterprises
• create 'virtuous circles' of enterprise activities so that commercial enterprises are used to fund social enterprises, for example on sustainable development”
National Curriculum website , QCA

A cross referencing of enterprise and the national curriculum by Young Enterprise pdf. click here

New KS 3 Curriculum

Within the new curriculum there are listed seven cross-curricular themes: identity and cultural diversity, healthy lifestyles, community participation, enterprise, global dimension and sustainable development, technology and the media, creativity and critical thinking.
For a page on enterprise in the curriculum on the QCA website, with a downloadable overview pdf: click here

Components of the cross curricular themes also form parts of the legally required national curriculum, for instance Citizenship KS 3, “work individually and with others to negotiate, plan and take action on citizenship issues to try to influence others, bring about change or resist unwanted change, using time and resources appropriately”.

Citizenship Curriculum

The relevant parts of the Citizenship KS 4 curriculum are:

Knowledge and understanding about becoming informed citizens:
d) the importance of playing an active part in democratic and electoral processes
e) how the economy functions, including the role of business and financial services
f) the opportunities for individuals and voluntary groups to bring about social change locally, nationally, in Europe and internationally
h) the rights and responsibilities of consumers, employers and employees
j) the wider issues and challenges of global interdependence and responsibility, including sustainable development and Local Agenda 21.

Developing skills of participation and responsible action:
b) negotiate, decide and take part responsibly in school and community based activities c) reflect on the process of participating.

PSHE Curriculum

Another key place in the curriculum is the Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education and the new ‘Economic wellbeing and financial capability’, which integrates careers education, work-related learning, enterprise and financial capability. Schools must legally provide careers education in KS 3 and 4, and work related learning in KS4. By turning normal school projects or school council projects (eg playground mentors, fairtrade stall, charity fundraising) into social enterprises allows the young people to take financial control of their projects. Another financial aspect is running a credit union branch in the school, with support from you local credit unions. With the help of MyBnK, your students could not only run a credit union but get involved in microfinance – offering loans to other students to run projects/businesses to change the local community.

"Micro-credit and micro-finance play important roles in poverty eradication and empowerment of vulnerable groups particularly of women. It has proven to be an effective anti-poverty tool. This certainly is one of the effective means to reach the Millennium Development Goal,"
Fakhruddin Ahmed former governor of Bangladesh Bank

Co-operative, Social Enterprise

Enterprise, as open ended problem solving and innovation, linked to business creates a space that is ideal for global citizenship. But only if the framework is social, co-operative enterprise. This hits several key agendas, including democratic participation, student voice, contributing to the community and for global citizenship allows the children to explore and use a key tool for tackling poverty around the world.

“Co-ops are recognised in many countries and institutions as self-help organisations particularly suited to assisting poor people to work out of poverty. The United Nations estimated (in 1994) that the livelihood of three billion people was made more secure by co-operatives.”
Co-op College, UK

“Social enterprise is an important part of community development and business. It strongly supports the acquisition of enterprise attributes as an important factor in developing a skilled workforce and a dynamic economy.”
National Curriculum website QCA

What is a social enterprise? Find out by visiting our ‘Social Enterprise’ area under ‘Participation’.

The use of co-operative and social enterprise allows teachers to integrate most of these themes, some depending on the aims of the enterprise the children create (eg a healthy food tuckshop would address issues of healthy lifestyles). The themes that it engages with, irrespective of the product, are community participation, enterprise, global dimension and sustainable development, creativity and critical thinking, technology and the media. This will only be the case if there is a support framework that clearly lays out the links and how to develop them, including resources and a source of business people working as volunteers who can use the framework.

Over the past years there have been numerous projects that look at different aspects of enterprise – Changemakers develop enterprise as a way of young people creating community change; Dynamix and East of England Co-op have developed enterprise as a way of learning co-operation, generating social cohesion and re-channeling disaffected energy into local youth projects (this has been published by the Save the Children, click here) and later by Co-op College; enterprise challenges promoted the open-ended creative aspects along with a competitive element.

Blogs on Enterprise by NESTA: click here