University News Last updated 26 August 2009
This August, Birmingham City University joined forces with two leading Community Centres in Birmingham, to help unlock the imaginations of local people and transform business visions into reality. Community Enterprise, a free training course, aimed at creative people with a passion to generate ideas, has been designed to help kick-start plans into action and nurture ideas in the right direction.
The Nishkam Civic Association on Soho Road and The Drum in Aston saw 17 ambitious delegates take part in this 3 day intensive course. The commitment and enthusiasm from the trainees allowed them to adopt the key skills and techniques required to drive a business plan forward.
"I felt the course was phenomenal and really helped me develop a fuzzy idea into a black and white business proposal," Sayma Shahid enthused, a participant from The Drum.
Community Enterprise, driven by Screen Media Lab, part of The Birmingham School of Media, in association with NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts), guides participants through a series of inspirational workshops with the philosophy to instill confidence, share ideas, build networks and prepare them for the world of business.
Percy Emmett, lead trainer on Community Enterprise, and recently short listed for his outstanding achievements in enterprise by the National Enterprise Educator Awards said:
"Running the Community Enterprise Programme has been a great experience, it has taken a business training programme and placed it in the heart of a community with amazing results. One thing that has been highlighted is that cultural differences are a key factor for success."
"As with anyone wanting to set up a business, the idea, need and passion to do so are the starting point and from there with the right guidance and support from programmes like this one, exciting things happen."
Sabial Hanif, a participant from the Nishkam Centre told us "The community enterprise programme has served to be a fantastic tool to help develop my confidence and understanding of what is needed to succeed in the business world. It has helped me reflect and analyze my own business idea and as a consequence of this I now have a better business vision."
"The teaching provided was fantastic, as was the support we gained in developing networks with fellow colleagues and understanding the opportunities local organisations provide in helping budding entrepreneurs. After completing this course, I feel more confident in both my business and my own ability and hope to set my business up in the very near future!"
Oliver Williams, Director of Screen Media Lab said: "The current economic climate can force individuals to explore ways other than employment to develop their careers. By attending the Community Enterprise course seventeen people are now in a much better position to commercialise their creative talents as the course encapsulates, in a three very intensive days, all aspects of developing an idea into a sustainable future. It has been a fantastic experience for the University to work in partnership with the Community Centres, we hope to continue to build and develop innovative solutions".