Young Enterprise Orkney appeal for business community to come on board

Inspirational, innovative, life-changing – just a few of the words used to describe Young Enterprise Orkney by students and business leaders who have enjoyed some fantastic experiences thanks to their involvement in the programme.

The voluntary group has restarted following a two-year gap and is looking for volunteers from the business community to share their expertise by joining the local area team.

Their knowledge can help guide and support students from Kirkwall Grammar School, Stromness Academy and Orkney College to set up and run their own Young Enterprise companies.

Orkney has enjoyed some tremendous success stories over the years and that is, in part, down to the high calibre of assistance from the local business sector.

Matthew Reid, a Finance and Corporate Systems Officer with the Council, is interim Chair of Young Enterprise Orkney and sees the volunteering role as an opportunity to give back to the programme which helped him so much.

He said: “My time with Young Enterprise started in 2012, when I took on the role of Managing Director of KGS’ winning company while I was in 6th year at school. I then took on a volunteer role with the board in 2016 whilst in my final year of my degree in Business Management at Orkney College UHI, alongside my full-time work at Orkney Islands Council. I really enjoy volunteering as part of the local area team as it is rewarding to help organise a programme of such successful companies.

“Having taken part in Young Enterprise in Orkney myself, it is excellent to see the programme continuing to be strong with such high-quality products and services every year. My own personal experience of Young Enterprise whilst in S6 was invaluable to developing my own skills, which certainly helped me in work and study over the years since. It is great to be able to give something back to the programme which helped me so much.”

Matthew said they need to draw on the expertise of the local business community once more.

“The calibre of young students participating over the years has been extremely high – but it is the expertise and guidance from members of our business community that has helped take this to another level. Many of our teams have enjoyed national success and this is entirely a reflection of the innovation, inspiration and skills set of everyone involved with Young Enterprise Orkney.

“Given the two year break we have had, we now need to appeal to the business community once more to get on board to assist our young people strive within the new world of business. I can assure you the experience is entirely rewarding helping nurture the young folk to achieve personal gains and, often, great success.”

Glen McLellan, Director – Field Optimisation Services/General Manager- UK, NOV Completion & Production Solutions, Process and Flow Technologies/Wellstream Processing, thoroughly enjoys his involvement with Young Enterprise Orkney.

“I have been involved in the programme for some years now firstly going in to speak to the teams to provide report writing guidance and business advice on an ad-hoc basis and then as a judge at the event and for the last couple of years have been chairing the judging panel. 

“I thoroughly enjoy my involvement in the programme and have been very happy to offer to continue to support in the way I have been so far. Young Enterprise Orkney is hands down one of the most inspirational volunteering activities that I get involved in and the quality that these teams produce year on year always amazes me, so I would encourage anyone with a bit of spare time to get involved!”

Ian Carse is a former local area team member and Chair of Young Enterprise Orkney and would highly recommend members of the business community getting involved.

He said: “It is a very positive programme from which many young people have benefitted and, even more significantly, enjoyed. Such has been the commitment of young people locally that Orkney has regularly featured well in, and sometimes won, local, national and UK competitions.

“Employers of all size and in all types of business in Orkney clearly see the value of the programme locally and have accordingly been generous in giving both their support and time to the programme. This I believe is because many very successful firms in Orkney see the value of YE as a programme, and the entrepreneurial skills it develops in local young people.

“Both pupils and employers are keen to support the local teachers and the local Young Enterprise Board because both the teachers and the Board exude positivity and believe in empowering our pupils to think positively about self-employment, and the development of enterprising skills in young people which can stand them in good stead for any future career/employment.”

Jocelyn Downes, from Deerness, was a member of the successful KGS “Drekka” business created in 2017 as part of the programme.

The 22-year-old went on to start up in business and alongside her full-time role as an early years’ practitioner, she runs The Happy Hut – a crafting space where she works on both her small businesses, Bespoke Bandana making bandanas for pets, and Clay Bake creating polymer clay products. She also holds open days for folk to visit and craft alongside her or just enjoy a coffee and a little shopping.

Jocelyn learned a great deal from her Enterprise journey making and selling etched glasses.

“Young Enterprise taught me a lot about the logistics of a business, and the importance of being passionate about what you sell. I definitely think the way we used social media then has impacted my business today. I see every day the impact social media has on my business and I'm grateful for the skill set I  took from Young Enterprise.

“Another massive thing I got from the whole experience was listening to the other businesses selling their products and the massive variety of businesses there. I realised that it isn't necessarily what you sell but it's how you sell it. How you feel and think about your product has a massive impact on the appeal factor for other people, that's why now I only create products I am completely passionate about.”

Shannon Foubister is a previous Young Enterprise student at Orkney College UHI, who now runs her own successful business Brough Bakes.

“I studied Young Enterprise the Stepping Stones course at Orkney College UHI.  Stepping Stones was a very beneficial course for someone like myself who struggled focusing in school and didn’t get the most out of it.  During this our class worked as colleagues within a business rather than classmates, and we created a successful small business within Orkney. From discussions and planning to advertising, creating new products and selling them in the public we all worked together in various areas to help it become a success.”

Through this, Shannon discovered an interest in business and hospitality and went on to study NC Administration within Orkney College UHI – all part of her plan to create a successful business of her own.

“Now at the age of 20, I run a very busy home-bakes business called Brough Bakes located in Orkney. Taking home-bake orders for delivery or collection seven days a week all year round, running a catering trailer throughout summer or catering for various events. Going back to the skills I developed in Young Enterprise, I now use these most days. I am always planning and thinking ahead for something new to expand the business. I believe the success of this business is largely in thanks to Orkney College UHI for providing me with these lifelong qualifications, skills and confidence throughout various courses but mainly the Young Enterprise. 

“If you get the chance to take part in Young Enterprise, I couldn’t recommend it more. It gave me a taster session of what it’s like to run a business. The tough times and the successful times, the work involved and the general process.”

The college team do not compete locally against the teams of KGS/Stromness Academy – but instead compete nationally as part of the Team Competition which differs from the Company Programme which the schools take part in.

A shining example

Isla Leslie was catapulted onto the national stage in 2017/18 thanks to the success of the Kirkwall Grammar School YE team – Estrela (Orkney inspired lamps).

Now in her honours year of Politics and International Relations degree at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Isla acknowledges that the experiences gained were significant and continue to help shape her path in life.

Aly MacPhail was the team’s main business representative and helped nurture the team’s creative side.

Isla said: “Our team included a lot of creative and artistic pupils and we really utilised that. Aly MacPhail was our main business rep and she really helped bring that out of us whether it be advising our social media posts or our physical stands at Christmas and competition fares. Owning two gift shops in the centre of Kirkwall, Aly has a real eye for perfection when it comes to display and design.

“Whilst she was always on hand to give advice and input, she also respected our ideas and visions, and outcomes were always a collaboration of the two. Aly was undoubtedly an integral part of our journey with the company programme. She attended the Scottish finals with us down in Glasgow where we picked up just about every individual award going (including the award for creativity, and marketing) as well as overall Company of the Year.

“My time with the Company Programme will always be a big point in my life. From representing Scotland in the UK finals, telling our story in the Scottish Parliament to an audience including the First Minister, to winning Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2018 Summit Awards here in Glasgow. I’m still very much in touch with the team at Young Enterprise Scotland and have been invited to multiple networking events with them.

“Most recently Geoff, the Chief Executive has been helping me out in finding new sponsors for my university netball club. My journey with Young Enterprise has very much continued, from the age of 17 to now almost 22, and I would say that if you have the opportunity to be even just a small part of that, absolutely go for it.”

Jack Norquoy was involved with Young Enterprise at Stromness Academy in his Sixth Year (2016-17).  He was the Managing Director of Island Charm leading a team of ten.

Island Charm produced personalised framed maps of Orkney — offering a range of frames and bespoke designs, acquiring a Publishing Licence for Merchandising with Ordnance Survey to obtain maps of Orkney. 

They were supported by Fiona MacInnes from Orkney Fishermen’s Society, Ian Johnstone from Aquatera and Alison Moore from Alison Moore Jewellery — and Stromness Academy teachers Pat Taylor and Hazel O'Connor.

They wanted to create a high-quality product that would show the Orkney landscape in a new way.

Island Charm won the Orkney Young Enterprise finals, scooping up Company of the Year, Managing Director of the Year and Best Report and Best Presentation.  This led Island Charm to the Scotland finals held in Glasgow in June 2017 where they came third overall in the national competition. 

Since Young Enterprise Jack studied at the University of Aberdeen graduating in History and International Relations this year. He is now Orkney MSP Liam McArthur's Communications and Research Assistant in the Scottish Parliament.

“Young Enterprise was one of the best experiences in my time at Stromness Academy. It was a hugely enriching experience, boosting key skills such as leadership, team-working, communication and innovation.

A hugely enriching experience

"We were entrusted with a lot of responsibility but supported throughout by our fantastic business advisors. I think they took real pride and joy in watching our enterprise go from strength to strength. Our success was unquestionably down to their support and expertise. 

"The experience was great preparation for life after school as we had to balance demands, priorities and use our time as effectively as possible. It gave us all a real insight into the world of business and I think we all came out of the experience with a greater appreciation for the challenges many face. 

"I would wholeheartedly encourage any local businesses to get involved and support the Orkney Young Enterprise programme. It is a really rewarding experience for both the pupils involved but also for the business advisors themselves."

Interested members of the business community are asked to contact Young Enterprise Orkney by email.

About Young Enterprise Orkney

Young Enterprise Orkney are looking for volunteers to join the local area team.

Young Enterprise gives S6 pupils at Kirkwall Grammar School and Stromness Academy the opportunity to start up their own student company and compete locally and nationally in the ‘Company Programme’. A third group, embedding Young Enterprise into their curriculum of the Future Tracks course, of which Young Enterprise sits as a module on this course, and gives the students the opportunity to compete nationally as part of the Team Programme.

Young Enterprise provides sixth year pupils in school and college students with the chance to take part in an entrepreneurial competition which helps them to create and develop a product or service that would be of commercial or social benefit to their community. Young Enterprise in Orkney, from its inception in 1989, has over the years proved to be highly entrepreneurial, original and produced ever-increasing high standards of products and services.

Year on year small groups from Stromness Academy, Kirkwall Grammar School and Orkney College students achieve amongst the highest standards across Scotland in Young Enterprise with their original thinking and innovative ideas. 

The role of the Young Enterprise Orkney Local Area Team is to oversee the activity held in the schools and to organise local events. The role of a volunteer is varied and there are various opportunities available on the board including: working alongside teams as a Business Advisor, judging local final competitions, speaking at launch events or working behind the scenes on the board helping organise events, or taking on a role such as Secretary or Chairperson to the local area team.