Investment Management Project

Working with pupils, young people and their teachers & youth leaders we have developed an Investment Management Project.

Its purpose is to help pupils/students and young people start to understand business and develop the enterprise and interpersonal skills that can help them with work experience at secondary school level and hopefully encourage them as they move onto further/higher education; seek employment or even set up in business.

Working in teams, pupils/students (or young people at youth centres) are appointed as Investment Managers responsible for investing £5,000. They are encouraged to research & analyse companies, industries/sectors and global economies.

At the heart of the project lies an enterprise club which meets after-school or at a youth centre.Pupils and young people will be mentored by business study teachers supported by experienced business leaders from their local community.

Teams are rewarded with financial incentives – any ‘virtual profits’ they make after re-paying the £5,000, will be matched as a cash award to the team.They are charged a small transaction fee for buying and selling shares. Any 'virtual losses' are written-off.

Each Enterprise Club has dedicated section on the web portal where they have log-in access to their share portfolio which is updated by direct links to stock exchange web sites. Meeting weekly/fortnightly, the Teams use the Enterprise Club as a forum for discussing emerging business,economic and political issues affecting share prices. They can buy & sell shares but must present their rationale for doing so.

Citizenship and local community involvement can also be factored in with local sponsors matching the 'virtual profit' made so that schools can help with local community projects.

The background, framework and skills acquired from this project is available as a PowerPoint Presentation.

The Project is one in which the pupils/students and young people are encouraged and supported to ‘do the work’. The more effort they put in working in teams, the more they will benefit- financially and in terms of skills, behaviour and future prospects. They can also decide to continue with the Enterprise Club. To find out more email craig@schoolbiz.org.uk