Page 77 - Bellfort Issue 3 2014

GCSE Business Studies IFA ENTERPRISE thinking of the type of running; our group were PROGRAMME Northern Ireland themed successful in the pasta and product that they would marshmallow ‘build it’ com- This year, pupils from the like to create. The only re- petition. Unfortunately Year 11 GCSE Business Stud- quirements that the pupils that was the only prize that ies class take part in the were given was that it we picked up that day how- enterprise programme that needed to display the IFA ever the team showed had been developed by the logo. great maturity and commit- Irish Football Association ment throughout the and Invest Northern Ire- In addition to developing whole process. land. and creating a Northern Ireland product; the pupils also received a second en- terprise workshop which focused more on preparing the business plan for the judges and to choose the 2 SUMMER 2014 Over 300 young people groups that would go for- from 23 secondary schools ward to present to the- across Northern Ireland whole staff. Pupils needed took part in the Irish Foot- to be confident on many ball Association’s enter- aspects of their product prise programme. such as on possible sales, marketing, manufacturing The project was aimed at and costings. 15-16 year-olds and used football to engage stu- The pupils were asked to The programme was made dents on key business and present their product in the possible due to the gener- enterprise awareness, from staffroom and very pleas- ous support of the NI Ex- innovation and product de- ing the majority of staff at- ecutive through the sign, to sales and market- tended to show support ‘Promoting Equality, Tack- ing, to physically develop- and to ask those tricky ling Poverty and Social Ex- ing prototypes for the pro- questions that might be clusion through Sport’ pro- gramme. asked by the business drag- gramme. ons at the next stage. The first workshop day was held in school on Tuesday The winning group trav- 15th October with both elled to the La Mon Hotel Miss Laird and Mr. Moore’s on Tuesday 10th December classes coming together to to present their idea and look at the different parts prototype to a panel of of the marketing mix. The three business profession- aim of this session was to als. During the presenta- allow the groups to start tions other activities were 77