Introducing Entrepreneurship

We have been running our Introducing Entrepreneurship programme called Bright Futures for the last 3 years. By the end of 2012 we had delivered it over 55 times with more than 2200 participants.

The programme is delivered in two forms as a two / three workshop and also over two months in combination with an introduction to ICT (sponsored by Microsoft) and a business ideas competition Bright Ideas.

Bright Futures is designed to help develop the participants entrepreneurial potential which is practised in many contexts: for instance in project and product development, new business start-up’s, as artists and makers, in innovation and change in organisations of all types and sizes. Bright Futures aims to help participants to be entrepreneurial, in whatever professional or personal context.

The programme looks at starting or working in a small firm which means that participants will have some responsibility for all aspects of the firm at some point - including product and service development, marketing, customer service, IT and delivery. Developing their entrepreneurial skills and attitudes will help them to deal proactively with this reality.

Bright Futures is an intensive programme; during which the participants are able to practise and develop various skills and behaviours relating to entrepreneurship. Some of these are:

• creative thinking and ideas development
• communicating and negotiating
• understanding customers
• presenting yourself and your ideas
• understanding how to structure an idea
• finding resources
• networking.

Bright Futures also aims to encourage them to think ahead to how you might continue to develop your skills, what resources you need, and where you may be able to find them.

Many participants tell us that the program is a life changing experience for them (insert testimonials) giving them an understanding of their skills potential and a determination to do something with it.

The content and learning materials we use in Bright Futures and the Bright Ideas completion come from those used for entrepreneurship education in the WestFocus Universities in West London UK.

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