RSB Lindsays in Dundee supported a team of students from the High School of Dundee in the first George Donald Schools Enterprise Challenge last month. The 10 teams from different schools took part in a Lord Sugar type challenge where they were to plan and pitch for the opportunity to host and promote a professional services careers event in Dundee.
Kate Wyatt, Director in RSB Lindsays was impressed by the High School team’s enthusiasm and application.
Kate said: “They came up with a really innovative idea to capture relevant information about attendees’ initial interests, the stalls and presenters they visited during the event and to feedback relevant information direct to them. The event was to be headlined ‘Discover your Future’ and the team provided a detailed outline of venue, format and costings.
“The team applied themselves to the task with energy and enthusiasm – they were excellent. I was greatly impressed by their original ideas for the event and thorough preparation of all aspects. I look forward very much to being involved next year.”
The George Donald Fund is the Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce’s charity and Alison Henderson, Chamber CEO and charity trustee said: “This is the 50th anniversary of the George Donald Fund. Launching this dynamic new enterprise competition was a fitting tribute to a man who worked so hard for local businesses as chamber treasurer and secretary for over 40 years. He had such faith in young people as the entrepreneurs of the future and we hope this will become an annual event in the business calendar.”
The other school project involved Corporate Partner, Claire McCracken, offering legal advice to a team of children from Hyndland Primary School in Glasgow as they prepared for their case as part of the School Mock Court Case Project competition against a number of schools across the West of Scotland.
This project (the Juniors version) is now run across three regions: The Lothians, West of Scotland (Glasgow to Ayr) and Tayside & Fife. It encompasses a range of classroom subjects - from art to journalism, debating and writing skills. The aim is to encourage pupils to be able to extrapolate the facts from fiction, to be concise in telling a story and to be articulate as they act on behalf of their client. Students also receive support from their teaching staff, their tutors, the website and the team of professionals behind the project.
Competition founder and organiser, Gerald Murphy notes: “The desire was to integrate a project into the schools that children would enjoy without realising they were learning and that had an aim that would surpass what is not ordinarily available to inspire students - appearing before a real Sheriff in a real court.”
