A dozen youngsters have tried their hand at entrepreneurship during a week-long programme hosted by The Brunel Swindon.
The event, open to 5 to 11-year-olds, was run by the Swindon-based Little Bosses Academy, whose aim is to help children build confidence, independent thinking and financial awareness.
During the week – headlined Sweet Science – the youngsters learnt how to set up and run a business, from product creation to branding and marketing. They had to calculate ingredients and work out their profit margins.
At the end of the week, the children ran a pop-up shop in The Brunel Swindon, selling the sweet treats they had created, with the help of the Little Bosses Academy mascot Barry Bear.
Barry – who is the academy’s social-emotional learning mascot – helped support the children, as they confidently invited shoppers to their stall, served them, and delivered great customer service, all in a real-life shopping centre setting.
“The children didn’t just learn about business, they experienced what becomes possible when children are trusted with real responsibility. They had to think independently, make decisions, communicate with the public, solve problems and adapt in a genuine real-world environment,” said Little Bosses Academy Founder Giselle Idedia. “The team at The Brunel Swindon have been really supportive and on board right from the start.”
Little Bosses Academy is a Community Interest Company, and any profits made at the stall will be ploughed back into supporting future programmes, including funding places for some children.
A spokesperson for The Brunel Swindon said: “We were delighted to host the Little Bosses Academy and welcome these young people to the centre. Seeing children as young as five run their own stall with such confidence and teamwork was fantastic.
We’re proud to have supported them at an event which nurtures the next generation of Swindon’s entrepreneurs.”
For more information about Little Bosses Academy and its programmes, visit https://www.littlebossesacademycic.com/.
