Lessons in team spirit build up confidence in young Scots with additional support needs

Designed specifically to prepare youngsters for the world of work, the innovative scheme enables pupils to work in teams to set up and run their own Student Enterprise Company under the guidance of a business volunteer from their local community.

Teams make all the decisions about their business, from deciding on the company name and managing company finances to selling to the public through pop-up shops and the unique e-commerce platform Trading Station.

It means young people gain the practical business experience, enterprising mindset and employability skills needed to help them build successful futures. Students this year have had the chance to complete a qualification at SCQF Level 3 worth 15 credit points. 

Teams can also compete for awards and the finals last week saw six teams competing from across Scotland from Stranraer to Inverness.

Fraser Morrison, Team Programme Manager at Young Enterprise Scotland said he was delighted so many had taken the chance to gain their SCQF award and enter the competition.

“The businesses they have created and the skills they have developed are remarkable,” he said. “This programme enables us to truly deliver our mission of Enterprise For All by working collaboratively with schools and business to support the skills development of these young people.” 

Theresa Shearer of the Enable Group said the programme would help students make the transition from school to work.

“Programmes like Team are vital to ensuring young people with additional support needs can transition successfully into life after school as they provide a chance to take classroom learning into the real world,” she said.

“The opportunities and experiences opened up by this programme – that might otherwise be closed to some young people – are invaluable in building confidence and life skills.

“As well as being the best way for young people to solidify learning from school, it provides real engagement with the wider community and supports young people with additional support needs to be seen by that community in the context of the world of work, helping to challenge barriers and build an inclusive society.”

Burn Unlimited from Carrongrange High School in Forth Valley won the Best Overall Company Award. 

Using a laser cutter in the school, the team created their own wooden Christmas decorations and gifts which were extremely popular within the local community.

“The judges agreed the team consistently performed strongly in all the judged elements of logo, presentation and adverts, showed an impressive journey for the students involved and embodied the spirit of the programme in everything they did,” said Morrison. 

The other major winner of the night was Stranraer Academy who scooped the Best Presentation Award, Journey Award and Individual Special Achievement Award, with the judges remarking on the strength and quality of the nominations.

The school’s Scots Pines was a very diverse team with a wide range of additional support needs, ranging from mild to more profound. 

In the beginning the team had some difficulties, with some of the larger and more able personalities trying to take control over the project and some of those who were quieter with more profound needs becoming lost in the excitement.

To tackle this, the team employed a democratic voting process for any big decisions during the business meetings, meaning the quieter voices had an equal say and were heard by everyone.  

By changing to this more structured voting system each opinion was listened to and valued by the whole team and no one was overshadowed. The process gave everyone an equal role and level of responsibility in ownership of the business which lead to the quieter, less able pupils improving their confidence and communication as they could see that everyone was equally valued and listened to, no matter how their ASN impacted them.

This was a huge step for a lot of the team and built up each member’s confidence in communicating, with parents and carers remarking on the their progress. The democratic voting system also helped some of the more vocal pupils to have a better understanding of listening and valuing the opinions of others. 

This was noted by two team members with Asperger syndrome towards the end of the programme who told their teachers they had learned to communicate better, to listen to everyone and have more patience and understanding of other people’s needs and opinions.

“This was a huge step forward for these pupils in improving their social interactions as, prior to the programme, they would often end up in disagreements with others because they struggled to fully understand others’ needs and lacked the patience to try and listen to an opinion that differed from what they thought was best,” said one teacher. 

“It was great to see that as well as the staff recognising these positive changes in communication skills, the students recognised them too and valued them very highly. However in a deeper and more individualised aspect, the programme has improved the dexterity and fine motor skills of pupils, through production. It has also improved their money management and financial budgeting skills. 

“Overall the project has had a huge impact on this team and, as a teacher, watching how their communication with others has improved has been 
an amazing thing to see, and is something myself and the pupils hope we can continue to participate in the future.”

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How communication was key to Stranraer pupil’s achievement

THE winner of the Team Programme Special Achievement Award is Lee Wither from Stranraer Academy, who has profound additional support needs and previously struggled to communicate with his peers.

According to his teachers, he would often melt into the background in group activities but he was given a confidence boost when his logo design was voted the best by his teammates and was used on the team’s products and social media posts.

This encouraged him to become even more involved in the group work and team discussions.

Lee said: “I think Young Enterprise helped me with my communication skills. I enjoyed selling our products, going into classes and places and asking the teachers and pupils if they would like to buy our Christmas decorations.  

“My money skills improved because I had to count how much money we had taken – also I had to write it down on our business sheet. I also had to write down a list to give to Miss Smith with any new orders and the money to keep safe. We needed to keep our money safe because we made so much.”

Lee is now moving from school to adult services and the communication skills, skills for budgeting and skills for work he has been building through Young Enterprise are having a positive impact on his transition, according to his teachers.

They believe that participating in the programme will have a long-lasting impact on his life.

“Lee is now confident in sharing his ideas, and no longer hides in the shadows,” said one.

“He made a fantastic leap out of his comfort zone, going out of the learning centre and selling his products and being around people he is not familiar with. 

“His creativity has expanded greatly and he was responsible for the amazing designs for the teams most recent bracelet products.  His money management and budgeting skills have also greatly improved and he is becoming increasingly confident in counting money and giving the correct change.

“He is constantly communicating and updating friends, family and care workers about his work and shows so much pride in everything he has done this year.”

• This article was brought to you in association with YES as part of The Herald's Future of Education campaign