e-factor

SimVenture is a game that allows people to setup and run their own virtual company and learn about business and being an entrepreneur. It is a business game that engages and challenges minds. The software is driven by decisions made by the user and the reality of the business simulation combined with the on-screen information makes it a rich learning resource.

SimVenture absorbs users in a highly authentic, rich and enjoyable learning experience that fast-tracks business and entrepreneurship skills and understanding.

SimVenture brings a wide range of business subjects to life and is a software package that inc. continues to utilise in local Schools.

What does SimVenture do?

SimVenture allows students to setup and run their own virtual company and learn about business and being an entrepreneur.

Who is SimVenture for?

SimVenture is a powerful learning resource which can be used by universities, colleges, schools and individuals. It is also ideal for Business Support Agencies looking to stimulate business start-up activity and an enterprise culture.

Who uses SimVenture?

Students and budding entrepreneurs benefit from using the software and vocational learners find the software particularly appealing. The business game is also a powerful training resource for organisations seeking to develop teamwork, broaden skill-sets and fast-track thinking.

This online software is a web based tool that allows teachers to map enterprise lessons and activities and so log all their hard work. Activities are mapped against any criteria and you can add activity to the system from Enterprise, Work Related Learning, PLTS etc. So reducing duplicating activities or omitting them altogether. The Grid allows you to stay informed of what is happening in the whole school and is a great tool to impress Ofsted.

How does it work?

The software is tailored to suit your School to ensure it reflects your curriculum, the activities you deliver and the criteria you want to capture.

It's simple and easy to use and training is available to even the most apprehensive of staff. Finally, the Grid automatically creates maps, graphs, and downloadable reports, all of which can be used to encourage staff and inform managers helping enterprise education in your school to be sustainable and measurable.

If you are interested in using Enterprise Grid in your school, please contact inc. on 0800 952 0181 or complete the contact form

We have access to specialist software that works to embed enterprise into the curriculum

SimVenture

SimVenture is a game that allows people to setup and run their own virtual company and learn about business and being an entrepreneur. It is a business game that engages and challenges minds. The software is driven by decisions made by the user and the reality of the business simulation combined with the on-screen information makes it a rich learning resource.

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Enterprise Grid

This online software is a web based tool that allows teachers to map enterprise lessons and activities and so log all their hard work. Activities are mapped against any criteria and you can add activity to the system from Enterprise, Work Related Learning, PLTS etc. so reducing duplicating activities or omitting them altogether. The Grid allows you to stay informed of what is happening in the whole school and is a great tool to impress Ofsted.

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If you are interested in using SimVenture or Enterprise Grid in your school, please contact inc. on 0800 952 0181 or complete the contact form

inc. is delighted to be working with Primary Schools and introducing enterprise to our even younger children. We offer talks, assemblies, events and support schools to run enterprise projects that may run over several weeks.

Currently we're running a number of specific primary school events including –

Chocolate Life

Chocolate Life is a day workshop that introduces where chocolate is from and how it is refined, manufactured and sold. Children will be in teams and will design a variety of chocolates using air-dry clay and paints.

They must also present the chocolates in a box they must make before doing a presentation of their work to judges in the afternoon.

Christmas Card Challenge

In the Christmas Card Challenge, children in teams design Christmas cards that they can sell at the school Fair and / or on a market stall in time for Christmas. Both these activities use the enterprise capability framework.

"I was really pleased with the fantastic opportunity that Will was given to develop his skills with such excellent materials, and the children were given to deepen their understanding of how commerce and industry work. I would be happy to repeat the unit with our new Year 2 teacher next year."

Nigel Bishop, Head Teacher, Strand Community

If you are interested in introducing enterprise to your Primary School, please contact inc. on 0800 952 0181 or complete the contact form

Getting students engaged and excited is integral to the programmes inc. run. Fashion is high on the priority for many young people and we have harnessed this passion with our Fashion Challenge – Junk 2 Funk.

The challenge for teams is to create unique and exceptional fashion items, using only junk that people would normally throw away. Teams must use all recycled materials to create an outfit including discarded fabric from shops, broken jewellery, paper, card, bags etc.

As part of the challenge students (with help from the schools) must source the recycled goods. The challenge involves working as a team prior to the actual event. They must –

• Choose their teams
• Source suitable materials
• Start planning their designs

On the inc. Challenge day the teams then have to –

• Make their designs
• Take part in the fashion show
• Present to the judges how they sourced their materials and what the benefits of using recycled goods are to the environment.

• Innovative ideas Innovative ideas
• Live fashion show Live fashion show
•  

Students from Oasis Immingham at the fashion show finale of their Junk 2 Funk challenge

"This challenge may not seem like the usual enterprise centred activity that inc. and e-factor is known for, but this challenge gave those who took part the chance to be truly enterprising. Creating unique and stylish clothing from a collection of resources that was destined to be junk."

Cara Oakley, Early Enterprise Manager

If you are interested in running a fashion Challenge event in your school, please contact inc. on 0800 952 0181 or complete the contact form

Enterprise covers many different types of business and organisations and in our Social Enterprise Workshops and Events we introduce students to the concept of social enterprises.

The day-long workshop is facilitated by the inc. team with assistance from school staff.

Students work in teams to think of a product or service they can run at school as a social enterprise business. The beauty of this workshop is that it can fully integrate and benefit the school by helping with raising money for their chosen charities. This is hands on and practical and some of the projects students have run include –

• Providing refreshments at parent's evenings
• Putting on a school disco
• Setting up and running a 5 aside league

We also provide ongoing support and mentoring, encouraging the students to carry on with their social enterprises.

If you are interested in running a Social Enterprise event in your school, please contact inc. on 0800 952 0181 or complete the contact form

This challenge is based around regeneration of the local area - in this case, Alexandra Dock area in Grimsby. Teams of students take part in the regeneration challenge and log all their work on a new and exciting system called ClassBubbles .

ClassBubbles is cloud based (delivered through the internet) and gets all students interacting with the system. Students are set tasks throughout the day and they must post "bubbles" of information into the system. Similar to a chat room, students can enter messages, add photos, documents and even sound recordings. Participants can see each other's posts and can comment and make useful suggestions and share best practice.

Timers are set for each task making it fast paced and highly interactive. All this information is displayed at the front of the classroom and will be stored for it to be accessed at a later date.

Teams decide on a business idea that will work towards regenerating the local area.

• Online collaboration Online collaboration
• Money management Money management
• Marketing ideas Marketing ideas
•  

• Teams research the area and see if they can base their business on a specific site.
• They must consider finance, marketing, location and conduct market research to ascertain any opportunities or competition they may face.
• At the end of the day students are given the opportunity to present their work to a panel of judges who will include business men and women, a regeneration representative and their peers.

The regeneration theme of ClassBubbles can be used anywhere, content is easily changed to the locality of your school.

If you are interested in running a ClassBubbles challenge in your school, please contact inc. on 0800 952 0181 or complete the contact form

The Big Up Workshop is an interactive and hands on workshop that inspires young people to become enterprising, get excited about business and at the same time raise aspirations.

Business is no longer something people in suits do "over there"; its accessible, its everywhere and anyone can do it.

Students will set up a business, choose a company name, strap line, refine their product or service and pitch it to inc. and their teachers.

The workshop gives students the chance to improve motivation, increase self confidence, explore their creativity and encourage an enterprising attitude.

The workshop has been very well received by students who have discovered that self employment and running your own business is a viable alternative to a 9-5 job.

The workshop can be run as a 1/2 day or full day with a maximum of 30 students.

Student feedback

"The best session ever, motivated me to actually start a business when I am older."

"It was awesome today because it was fun and we were learning enterprise at the same time."

"I learnt a lot about businesses and I think I'm going to use everything I've learnt in the future."

Students from Oasis Academy Wintringham

If you are interested in running a Big Up workshop in your school, please contact inc. on 0800 952 0181 or complete the contact form

e-factor's enterprise education programme, inc., offers a range of courses, workshops and assemblies to suit all students aged 6 – 19. Our courses incorporate specific skills and qualities enabling them to become enterprising individuals and to consider self employment as an option for the future.

Assemblies

The assemblies are designed to introduce whole Years, Houses or Communities to the concept of Enterprise.

inc. will come to the school and present to the students in the normal assembly, meaning no one needs to be pulled off timetable making the inc. enterprise assemblies a flexible and easy way to get students introduced to enterprise in a context that is relevant to them.

Workshops

We run a variety of workshops and enterprise challenges that offer students fun and engaging enterprise experiences. These workshops and events give students and young people exciting opportunities to learn about enterprise and develop skills inside and outside the classroom.

THE BIG UP WORKSHOP

This interactive and hands on workshop inspires young people to become enterprising, get excited about business and at the same time raise aspirations. Business is no longer something people in suits do "over there"; its accessible, its everywhere and anyone can do it.

Students will set up a business, choose a company name, strap line, refine their product or service and pitch it to inc. and their teachers.

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REGENERATION WORKSHOP - CLASS BUBBLES

A new initiative from inc. Class Bubbles sees teams of students take part in a regeneration workshop for their area. Teams decide on a business idea that will work towards regenerating the local area. The workshop includes research of the local area for locating their business idea, they then must consider finance and marketing. Their ideas are presented to a panel of judges and a regeneration expert.

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SOCIAL ENTERPRISE CHALLENGES

inc. facilitates the day with assistance from school staff. We introduce students to the concept of a social enterprise. Students break away into teams where they will form their own Social Enterprise Company and think of a product or service they can run at school. Enterprise.

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JUNK 2 FUNK FASHION CHALLENGE

A very popular challenge is our Junk 2 Funk Fashion Challenge. Teams must use all recycled materials to create an outfit including discarded fabric from shops, broken jewellery, paper, card, bags etc. As part of the challenge students (with help from the schools) must source the recycled goods. The event ends in a fashion show and presentation to the judges.

more >

Events

In addition to these workshops we can also run bespoke events and activities where both inc. and school staff agree a programme of activities. All activities will include the 12 competencies of the enterprise framework, the nature and length of the project depends on the specific needs of your school.

Each activity has capacity for a maximum of 60 students with two members of staff on hand to support the inc. delivery team.

To discuss the enterprise assemblies, workshops and events, please contact inc. on 0800 952 0181 or complete the contact form

To implement a successful enterprise strategy in your school it is important to ensure you have an enthusiastic champion or champions.

This may sound like an onerous and time consuming role, but in fact many teachers discover that much of their curriculum activities already have great potential to become enterprising.

What do Enterprise Champions do?

The role of an enterprise champion is to liaise with teaching staff and help endorse enterprise education throughout the school.

They will usually be involved in organising the schools enterprise activities with providers and are responsible for keeping students and other staff members informed and motivated about the projects and events.

How can inc. Help?

inc. provide teaching staff with the skills and knowledge to embrace enterprise education and to ensure that it is delivered across many subjects.

We provide training that introduces the 12 enterprise competencies (our enterprise capabilities framework) and looks at ways these skills can be easily incorporated into everyday teaching or one off enterprise activities.

We understand the pressures on teacher's time which is why our training is flexible and provides interesting and rewarding solutions that will interest staff whilst being great addition to their CPD activities. Sessions are interactive and teachers will have the opportunity to ask questions and share best practice amongst colleagues.

The sessions look at –

• What is enterprise?
• What are you already doing that it enterprising?
• What can you initially build into your lessons?
• Why does it matter?

Sessions can be taken as 2 hour twilight's or as inset days to suit your school.

As part of OFSTED inspections, the following definition of enterprise capability is used –

"The ability to handle uncertainty and respond positively to change, to create and implement new ideas and new ways of doing things, to make reasonable risk / reward assessments and act upon them in a variety of contexts, both personal and work."

To discuss the enterprise training on offer to teachers, please contact inc. on 0800 952 0181 or complete the contact form