the vital few…

The Vital Few…

An RSA initiative to support young entrepreneurs

A pathfinder project focussed on

Selected schools in the South-East

Who’s Driving it Forward?

• The Royal Society of the Arts, Commerce & Manufactures

• Steering Group based in the South-East

• Supported by the RSA’s 27,000 Fellows

• Together with key entrepreneurial organisations

The Vital Few - Steering Group

• Small Key team aided & abetted by local organisations & academies

• We are educational leadership, urban innovation and financial experts with a sprinkling of serial entrepreneurs

Project Drivers

• Help reduce historically high levels youth unemployment

• Provide long-term support, not short term fixes• Mobilise and use RSA skills base and local

enterprises, directing them towards needy young entrepreneurs

• Specifically enabling those with great ideas, but limited social and familial support

• Create new enterprises for the 21st Century and act as catalysts for enhanced economic recovery

Our timeline so far…

Aug Sep-12 Oct-12 Nov-12Apr-12 May-12 J un-12 J ul-12Dec-11 J an-12 Feb-12 Mar-12

Derek

Wright

unveils

concept

@RSA

Launch in

time for

new

school

year

Liason

with RSA

local &

National

initiatives

Concept

developed at

monthly

meetings

Jan-April

Steering

Group

formed

The Vital Few Timeline

What’s missing in schemes for young entrepreneurs?

• Universities/Business Schools usually only help their own alumni

• Govt. support aimed at long-term unemployed• Existing programmes (e.g. Prince’s Trust, Young

Enterprise) only provide a few months help• Private investment/funding aimed at school

leavers & those already in work• Focus on entrepreneurship skills & knowledge

transfer• An effective forum for engaging with local

business and allowing disparate groups to converse with entrepreneurs willing to share their experiences

Project Objectives

• Create, motivate & support a ‘rising tide’ of enterprise in schools

• Add value to real businesses with an actual ‘Profit & Loss’

• Support future wealth creators and potential employers; the next generation of Branson’s & Sugar’s

• Create new stand-alone businesses in the local community

What’s on offer?A Wisdom Group

which will provide:• 1:1 mentoring• Skills Bank• Project Support• Access to local business

owners• Shared knowledge &

expertise• National & Global reach

How will this be accessed

An Information

Vortex which will deliver access to:

• School’s Drop days• Interactive Enterprise

Pods• Pop-up events• A knowledge-led learning

platform

Our Strategy & Next Steps• Target potential

entrepreneurs 14 -18 yrs group

• Pilot with Schools & Academies existing platforms to deliver benefits of Wisdom Group and Vortex

• Proof of Concept – roll out in SE, then nationally with RSA support

But not forgetting most importantly…..

• Encouraging and developing temporary and permanent venues in the South-East and later nationally, where those disenfranchised from the schools system can also access the full range of resources on offer

Remember!• We CAN make a difference• We CAN stop the waste of young people and

their talents• We CAN create new entrepreneurs, new

enterprises, new employers, new jobs and so provide hope for the future………

Contact

Derek Wright 01424 870035

derek@kesterhouse.co.uk

Mark Hadley 07851 849813

mark@isis-environment.com