Enterprise week pupils Go Bananas for challenge (From The Northern Echo)

Enterprise week pupils Go Bananas for challenge

9:32am Tuesday 25th November 2008 in Search

STUDENTS learnt about business with a conscience at an event held as part of Enterprise Week.

Pupils from eight County Durham schools visited Staindrop Business and Enterprise College, near Barnard Castle, to take part in the Go Bananas Social Enterprise Challenge.

The 48 year nine students met representatives from firms before taking part in a business challenge.

Students had to come up with a social enterprise and pitch it to a panel of Dragons’ Den-style businessmen.

They also had to compose a radio jingle and poster for their products.

Ideas for social enterprise products included a swap shop and pencils which, when sold, would generate money to plant more trees.

The schools taking part in the event were Staindrop Business and Enterprise College, King James and Bishop Barrington, from Bishop Auckland, The Oaks, from Spennymoor, Ferryhill Business and Enterprise College, Sunnydale, from Shildon, St Bede’s, from Lanchester, and Gilesgate, from Durham City.

The whole day had a banana theme and, as well as hearing about Fairtrade bananas, students also designed a bathroom for Bananaman.

Alyson Carr, assistant headteacher at Staindrop Business and Enterprise College and one of the organisers of the event, said: “Hopefully when the students go back to their schools, they can take the initiative and set up the social enterprise they have come up with today.

“They have learnt a lot about being a social entrepreneur and how profits can be pumped back into worthwhile causes.”