Youngsters Mean Business

LIVERPOOL infants as young as five are being encouraged to think up imaginative business ideas which will make a difference at school, in their community and at home.

Every primary school in Liverpool is receiving a unique educational toolkit, ‘Enterprise for Infants’, which aims to give pupils the right stuff when it comes to business, enterprise, creativity and teamwork. It is the first ever business education pack for infant-aged children in the city.

The toolkit – which is the brainchild of Councllor Gary Millar, Liverpool City Council’s executive member for enterprise - aims to help infants think up ways to make a difference at school, in their community and at home.

Aimed at five to seven year olds, the kit gives them the opportunity to learn more about how businesses work – ranging from making a product and selling and delivering it to customers, friends and family; to raising money for worthy causes.

It is hoped the toolkit will give children skills which will last them for life - firing their imaginations, getting them working as a team and helping create thousands of young, dynamic entrepreneurs.

Councillor Gary Millar said: “It’s never too early to start motivating and enthusing our children with ideas and tools that will equip them for the future world of work or the giving them the skills needed to work as team. Business and enterprise is not all about making money and I would like people of all ages to join us in putting something back into the city.

“This toolkit has been designed especially for young minds to have fun, make money and most importantly help people and places. The infants will learn lots of things, including how to be enterprising, develop ideas and make them happen whilst learning about business too.

“Through this innovative learning experience they will develop an understanding of enterprise and the skills and attributes that make enterprising people.”

The toolkit supports Liverpool’s ‘Every Child Matters’ initiative - in particular making a positive contribution and achieving economic wellbeing.  Teachers will use the toolkit’s posters, DVD and activities to explain to children that working through ten steps together will help them be enterprising and raise money for a favourite charity or cause.

The toolkit’s “Ten Steps to Success” are: -

1.              Use your imagination

2.              Pick the best idea

3.              Tell us more!

4.              Choose your job

5.              Explore your idea

6.              Pounds & pence

7.              Shout about it!

8.              Ready, steady, go

9.              Add it all up

10.          Looking back

Councillor Millar added: “This toolkit explains that being enterprising is not just about owning your own business or being an entrepreneur. Instead, it makes clear that it’s about having a positive ‘can do’ attitude in life and striving to achieve your full potential.

“By starting at Step 1 and working through the remaining steps, pupils will create a memorable learning experience. They will discover that volunteering, working as a team and fundraising makes a difference - and with their help and commitment we can make great things happen!”

Children who complete the toolkit and develop their own business ideas will receive certificates, stickers and reward cards. The toolkit will be used as part of lessons and at after school clubs. And parents are being encouraged to get actively involved and support their children in their business ventures.

The Enterprising Infants toolkit is party of the wider ‘Enterprising kids - Let’s do business!’ programme, developed by Liverpool City Council and Stepclever.

Teachers from 20 infant and primary schools have already got their hands on the toolkit. It will be sent to every primary school in the city over the next few months.