Taking part in a Young Enterprise Team Challenge provides a powerful means for building upon the existing skills and knowledge of business volunteers and offers the opportunity for training in some new ones. A YE Team Challenge is a one day event that gives employees the chance to volunteer for a non-profit organisation and to make a visible difference which benefits the local community. Team Challenge assists with Team building largely due to the active participation of each volunteer in the learning experience and the importance of the team’s involvement in the success of delivering the YE programmes. As well as enabling employees to use practical skills and work together as a group; sharing an experience such as a YE Team Challenge allows volunteers to improve their professional development whilst putting something back into the community through inspiring young people.
Team Challenge has become a successful one-off taster volunteering experience for business professionals.
Report by Victoria Cobb:
Accenture UK & I Mobilisation Team
On Friday 13th July nine of us from the Mobilisation team took the challenge of delivering the Young Enterprise Learn to Earn programme to 96 thirteen year olds at the Central Foundation Boys School on Old Street. This involved presenting to the group in pairs and delivering YE material, getting the kids participating in discussions and playing some games to help the learning process, whilst all the time sitting with the kids around small tables to engage them in the exercises and find out about their hopes, dreams and aspirations for their future careers – providing encouragement and guidance along the way.
To set the scene only one of the boys I sat with had a parent in employment. Hero’s and ‘successful people’ they knew reached as far as David Beckham and Alan Sugar – There was only one successful person they knew personally, and that was the manager of Somerfield – which happens to be next door to the school. In a nutshell they could scarcely believe these 9 volunteers had left their ‘glamorous’ day jobs (if only they knew!) jet setting round Europe to go and spend time with them. In many ways it was a humbling experience.
The response from YE has been excellent and they were delighted we turned up in such large numbers –I’m sure all those involved would agree it was a fun experience?! The kids seemed to get a lot out of it – and I’m certain this was in no small part due to the enthusiasm of the Mobilisation Team! – And the reason more time was allocated for us to take the stage to explain about our routes to success rather than using the textbook examples.
As a result of the success of the event, I’d like to confirm that our team are looking forward to the next event in October and I would like to invite more people to join us!
VOLUNTEER QUOTES
“I would like to thank all the efforts which went into making this program very warm and welcome. I am quite excited about this opportunity to influence our society in the right way.”
Vin Kumar
"Great day! I am looking forward to getting involved again soon. It is a great programme for young people. I wish I had this opportunity when I was at school."
Samantha Sai
