Structured Programs which support Enterprise Learning
This a sample set of quality enterprise programs offered by community and/or government organisations which could be integrated into
teaching and learning programs.
Program
Description
Cost
Young
Achievement
Australia (YAA)
YAA is an independent not-for-profit organisation operating nationally.
1. Business
Skills
Business Skills is aimed at Year 11 students. Groups of 20-25 students run
their own business and take responsibility for their own business decisions
under the mentorship of a host organisation. Students sell shares to raise
capital, elect a management team before researching, producing and
marketing a product. Accounts are kept and wages paid before the
company is liquidated and profits returned to shareholders. The program is
run over 16-24 weeks generally outside school hours. Students can achieve
a Certificate II in Business.
2. Business
Enterprise
Business Enterprise is for Year 8, 9 and 10 students and introduces them to Cost: TBA
the world of business. It highlights the relationship between school and their
working lives. This program is generally conducted in Commerce, Business
Studies or Work Education classes. Teachers are provided with lesson
plans and a workbook to assist implementation.
YAA offer 2 programs:
Business Skills is free of charge to
student participants and availability
is dependent on sponsorship from
the public and private sector.
For further information on programs visit the YAA website –
www.yaa.org.au
Australian
Business Week
(ABW)
ABW is a not for profit organisation and operates on a cost recovery basis.
ABW offers several programs:
1. Enterprise In
School
The enterprise in school program is an intensive 5 day program involving a
whole cohort of Year 10 or Year 11 students. Many schools use the
There is a school program with a
licence fee plus an additional
Program
2. ABW OnLine
Description
program as a component of their peer support week or following the School
Certificate examinations. Teams of 10 students are randomly selected to
become a simulated company (IT, manufacturing or Hospitality) assuming
the key roles of that company’s employees. Students work through a
simulation making a series of business decisions. This culminates in the
production and marketing of a product at a trade fair.
ABW OnLine is for students in Years 10 and 11. Students compete against
other school teams worldwide. Students make decisions necessary to run a
company in a simulated global marketplace. Students do all work online. It
is aimed to complement other ABW programs.
Cost
charge for each student
participating, paid at the completion
of the program.
This can be paid by the student /
parent or through sponsorship
obtained individually by each
student or collectively by a
sponsoring body.
3. State Program The State Program involves individual students from Year 11 or 12 who are
selected by application. This is a 5 day residential program hosted by
leading universities. Students attend lectures, company meetings, outdoor
team building activities, production of videos and trade displays.
Throughout, students are assisted by business mentors. Winning students
from each state then compete in the National Championship Program.
4. AusEE
AusEE is for primary students and introduces students to enterprise
education through an intensive 5 day learning experience. It is followed up
with an extended program designed to be integrated into classroom
curriculum.
For further information on all programs visit the ABW website –
www.abw.org.au
Australian
Network of
Practice Firms
(ANPF)
A practice firm is a virtual business set up and run by students with support
from teachers and a mentor business partner. Practice firms model their
product and business on the mentors business. The focus is on business
process rather than actual production.
Each practice firm is affiliated with the worldwide network of practice firms
Cost of annual membership with the
ANPF (regardless of student
numbers) is $1,650.00. Schools
receive manuals and regular
newsletters and access to all ANPF
facilities and other practice firms.
Program
Description
which trade regularly in a virtual economy with each other.
They also trade with the public at trade fairs which are held at the local,
regional, state and national level.
Competencies from HSC VET courses, as well as outcomes from various
other syllabi may be delivered and assessed in the practice firm.
For more information visit the ANPF website – www.anpf.cit.act.edu.au
EnergyAustralia
Red Cross Youth
Challenge
The EnergyAustralia Red Cross Youth Challenge invites young people,
teachers and members of the community to take the challenge by finding a
project that helps the community. Groups work together on a project gaining
skills in project management, problem solving, research and
communication.
The website lists available projects by regions or schools can come up with
their own.
Cost
Best value is gained by timetabling
students from different courses into
the practice firm. This can be any
year group K-12.
A designated ‘business’ location
with office style furniture and
computers is desirable.
A membership fee of $2.00 per
member or $33.00 for groups with
15 or more members per annum to
be paid when registering.
EnergyAustralia Red Cross Youth
Challenge Resource Kit $55.00
(includes Leadership Manual,
Volunteering module and
For further information visit the Youth Challenge website –
www.takethechallenge.com.au
worksheets for students).
Students receive Certificates of
Participation, participation journal
and regular newsletters.
Junior Red
Cross
Junior Red Cross has been developed by Australian Red Cross as a means
of involving 8-12 year olds in their school and local community, as they
learn valuable leadership and life skills.
Junior Red Cross activities are based around 4 themes:
1. Health and safety
2. Service and the Community
3. International Friendship
Program
Description
4. The Work of the Red Cross / Red Crescent Movement.
Cost
The contemporary focus is on humanitarian education, including active
citizenship and community participation.
There is a kit to assist implementation.
For further information visit the Australian Red Cross website –
www.redcross.org.au or www.redcross.org.au/nsw/services_jrc.htm
Mindshop
Excellence
Mindshop Excellence is a 5 day work experience program aimed at Year 10
students. A team of 4-6 students visit a host organisation. Facilitators train
students in business processes including teamwork, strategic thinking, mind
mapping, flowcharting, cause and effect analysis, public speaking and self
esteem. Students are given a real workplace issue to solve over the course
of the 5 days. The team present their solution to management, staff,
parents and teachers.
For further information visit the website
www.mindshop.com.au/mswebpage.nsf/pages/excellence
No cost to schools. Sponsored by
host organisation.
Program
Youth 2 Youth
Description
Youth 2 Youth run skill-based workshops in school or outside school that
equip young people with career, enterprise and business skills
Cost
Costs negotiated according to
program offered and number of
participants
The custom made programs are designed to be flexible unique, fun
and engaging.
The programs range from half and one-day workshops to multi-day events.
There is a wide selection of workshops and talks aimed at helping young
people with everything from how to start and run their own business or
inspiring community project, to developing their enterprise and career skills,
goal setting, re-defining 'success', project management, media skills,
budgeting, student/youth council set-up, young women's tools for success.
Click here to download the latest brochure which lists all workshops.
For further information visit the Youth 2 Youth website –
www.youth2youth.com.au
Lifeskills Microsociety
Lifeskills is a cross curricula program that can be integrated into existing
curriculum – generally Stage 3 but can be expanded to Stage 4.
Using Lifeskills, schools establish a micro-society with its own parliament or
other decision making body (often SRC). The micro-society is supported by
a micro-economy with a bank operated by students using student designed
currency. Students employ each other to staff the bank and the schools real
dollar earning enterprises such as recycling cans or selling yabbies.
Students have the opportunity to save their school currency earned from
their “wages”, entrepreneurial activities or environmental activities such as
weeding, tree planting and destroying feral pests such as carp. They can
spend their school currency on craft materials for their individual
entrepreneurial activities or for organised events such as model car and
No cost to schools although costs
involved for running different
enterprises eg. craft materials
Program
Description
Cost
boat races.
The materials in the school craft shop and the items for the popular student
auctions are purchased by the teacher/coordinator from the profits of real
enterprises such as recycling cans or selling yabbies.
A proportion of the profits determined by the students go to a charity of their
choice.
Students participate in trade fairs to trade their goods and services at the
local and state level. These are well supported by local business and
community members. Maitland has strong links with the local Chamber of
Commerce where students regularly attend meetings to showcase what
they are doing. Businesses donate prizes for the school auctions.
Lifeskills resource was distributed to all DET primary schools in 2002
ASX Schools
Sharemarket
Game
ASX Schools Sharemarket Game is available to students in Years 7-12 and
can be incorporated into the curriculum or can be played as an extra
curricula activity.
Students form a syndicate (2-4 students). Each syndicate is provided with
an imaginary $50,000 to invest in shares. This “hands on” experience of the
share market will see students involved in internet “share trading” over a 10
week period. There are 2 games per year, one per semester.
Teachers need to register online to receive a password for their students.
For further information visit the ASX website – www.asx.com.au/sharegame
No cost to schools
Program
Education
Foundation
Description
Cost
The Education Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation based in Victoria.
Its aim is to strengthen public education with a focus on educational
excellence and equality of opportunity. Their programs are starting to be
offered nationally. Programs include:
1. Back to
School Day
Back to School Day which encourages schools to invite past students to go
“back” to school for the day. Schools organise the day to meet the needs of
the students. The aim is to inspire young people and to celebrate public
education.
2. ruMAD
ruMAD is a program that focuses on creating and implementing student
No cost to schools.
action projects (MAD projects) that will Make A Difference in the
community. There is a manual (program) to assist implementation and great
innovative ideas on the website.
3. Kids and
Community
Kids and Community sees schools and communities working together to
move schooling beyond the traditional classroom and to provide
challenging, real-life learning experiences for young people. Includes a
“how to” manual.
Schools meet the costs of any
activities planned during the day.
Program available free to download
from the website
For more information visit the Education Foundation website –
www.educationfoundation.org.au
The Real Game
Series
 Play Real
(Years 3-4)
Make It Real
(Years 5-6)
The Real Game series are career and life skills programs aimed at assisting Each game requires teachers to
students with goal setting and career decision making. During the programs have a Facilitators Kit priced from
students confront real life issues and have to make important decisions
$225.00 - $280.00.
regarding their futures.
Also available are student folders,
student handout pads, posters.
Program
Description
 Real Game
(Years 7-8)
 Be Real
(Years 9-10)
Get Real (Years
11-12)
A range of enterprising skills are developed throughout the programs as
students are encouraged to make decisions for themselves
Principal for a
Day Program
Principal for a Day is a unique not-for-profit national program which is a
catalyst to strengthening relationships between government schools,
business and the wider community.
All products are available for
purchase from the website.
For more information visit the website – www.realgame.gov.au
By being a “Principal for a Day”, business and community leaders get a first
hand view of a normal school day, including in depth management
discussions with the principal, taking classes, talking with parents and staff.
Program results include improved physical, technical, financial and human
resources, professional learning exchanges, curriculum development,
career advice, industry and work experience visits and mentoring.
For more information visit the national website
www.principalforaday.com.au
Sustainable
Living Project
Cost
The Sustainable Living Competition is an annual national competition which
rewards High School students (Years 7-12) for environmental projects
undertaken in the classroom, individually or by entire school communities.
The project should be an inventive and original solution to an environmental
problem either locally or globally.
Free support and resources are available to assist teachers and students
tackling environmental issues, and each year there are more than $30,000
worth of prizes to be won. The aim is to integrate the competition into
classroom practice.
No cost to schools
Program
Description
Cost
Entries close late October each year and winners announced December.
For more information visit the Sustainable Living website www.sustainableliving.com.au/
Austrade Export
Plan Competition
This is a competition that enables students to achieve a number of learning
outcomes associated with international trade and globalisation in an
experiential learning environment.
This annual competition enables secondary students to study the steps that
businesses follow to become exporters. The competition enables students
to study a business in depth and explore the export potential in their local
area. The students will gain an understanding of their export capabilities
and potential markets. This project can also help to forge stronger links
between schools and the local business community.
The competition is open from January to the third week in September each
year (TBC)
The competition has been mapped to the NSW Business Studies syllabus
on the website.
Austrade has developed a range of secondary teaching and learning
resources in its “Exporting for the Future” program.
For more information visit the Austrade website –
www.austrade.gov.au/studentcentre
CREativity in
Science and
Technology
(CREST)
CREativity in Science and Technology (CREST) is an awards program that
encourages and supports primary and secondary school students to
choose, organise and undertake their own practical science or technology
project.
Free class sets of resource
booklets.
State and national prizes are
awarded for winning student entries
Program
Description
Cost
CREST is a national, non-competitive program.
Students undertake science and technology research projects that involve
creativity, perseverance and application.
The projects are offered at different levels and provide challenges for all
abilities.
Links are made with industry or community workers so students gain an
understanding of the role of science and engineering in the community.
Support materials are available.
This program can be integrated into classroom curriculum.
For more information visit the CREST website – www.csiro.au/crest/
CPA Australia
Plan Your Own
Enterprise
Competition
This competition is conducted by Business Educators Australasia and is
open to all full-time secondary students. Prizes are offered at both a state
and national level for individuals and groups of up to 6 students.
Students are required to present a creative idea for a small business as a
business plan. The plan will comprise a description of their product/service
or business idea and its potential, staff and management requirements,
marketing plan, financial plan and summary identifying future prospects for
the business.
Applications close August/September each year.
For more information visit the website – http://www.beaq.org.au/
There are no formal costs
associated with this competition
although the plan remains the
property of Business Educators
Australasia.
Program
Description
Cost
Ministers Young
Designer Awards
(MYDA)
MYDA is designed to support the mandatory Technology course for Stage 4
students throughout the state by providing young designers with an
opportunity to develop and showcase their talent and creativity.
For more information about MYDA
visit the Curriculum Support and
Board of Studies websites
MYDA encourages students to look at the world around, to investigate
products, systems and environments, and to design a successful solution in
an area of interest to them.
The awards are open to students in Years 7 & 8, either as individual entries
or as small groups (maximum of 6) entries.
The challenge offered to students is to develop a project that meets a
clearly identified need.
http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.
au/exhibitions/index.html#myda
Questacon Smart This competition is open to any Australian school student aged 14-18, who
Moves Invention has an idea with potential for development in research and/or
Convention
commercialisation,
Students will need to complete an
online application form that details
their idea.
The Invention Convention delegates get to form networks with other
inventive students and learn from established Australian entrepreneurs
about the business skills they will need to further their ideas. Mentors are
selected for their background in innovation and entrepreneurship and their
ability to relate to youthful delegates.
Students selected to attend the
Invention Convention will have all
expenses paid
Brochures with hard copy
application forms will be sent to all
Australian secondary schools
directed to Science faculty
The five-day program includes:
 development of the delegates' individual ideas
 money management and marketing skills
 intellectual property issues
 networking & interviews with mentors and peers
 information on exporting & commercialising ideas
 guest speakers from the business and science worlds.
For more information visit the website –
http://smartmoves.questacon.edu.au/smart_moves/phase3.asp
Volunteering
Many schools are currently offering enterprise learning experiences based on volunteer projects. As with business ventures, these
community-based enterprise projects can add to each student’s experience of work and give a practical dimension to KLA activities.
Many of these activities can be integrated into the school curriculum. Students from Years K-12 can be involved in volunteering.
Volunteer work is any service you give to the community through your own good will and without financial benefit. It can be a schoolbased volunteer project, for example rejuvenating school grounds or part of a much wider scheme through an organisation.
Volunteering will enable students to:
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learn about people in their local community
work with others
undertake interesting activities that will add authenticity to their learning
accept responsibility
learn about and become involved in their local community
develop and enhance work related skills
make a difference
During any volunteer work students are encouraged to develop and record their work related skills. As with any other work experience,
teachers work with students before and after, particularly on logging the experiences and associated work skills, a process which is
central to their School to Work planning.
Examples of volunteer work include:
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managing the database and producing publications for volunteer groups such as Surf Lifesaving
eradicating feral pests and weeds
breeding and releasing native fish
clean up Australia
visiting aged care facilities to donate products made at school
stream watch, river care: monitoring local waterways
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publicity for community organisations eg. letterbox drops
beach preservation
peer tutoring at school including homework centres
charity fund raising eg Red Cross, Red Nose day, Daffodil Day, Salvation Army
working with the local council on town beautification projects
working with local farmers to care for animals
collecting recyclables
This community-based work experience may take place with charitable and environmental organisations or public safety bodies such as
the volunteer coastguard and fire fighters. Some organisations such as the State Emergency Services, Surf Lifesaving and the Volunteer
Coastguard have training programs, modules of which are available to schools eg. the Scouts and Guides “Future Leaders” program.
Formal volunteering is an activity which takes place through a not-for-profit organisation. These organisations will match student groups
with other organisations and projects needing volunteers. They can also organise volunteers to come into schools to play a mentoring
role in activities such as individual School to Work planning.
For further information visit the following sites:
www.volunteering.com.au – The Centre for Volunteering – the home of Volunteering NSW, part of Volunteering Australia
www.govolunteer.com.au - the web site for Volunteering Australia, the peak body for volunteering in Australia
www.volunteer.com.au/index.asp - Seek Volunteer
Information in this document was last verified in May 2005, so please check costs if you are interested in any specific program.