Budding business brains aim for Christmas market

YOUNG people from five Rotherham schools are working together to set up their own Christmas market stall.

The group of forty students are involved in RISE-Rotherham Inter Schools Enterprises-a new venture that works with young people at risk of falling out of education, employment or training.

RISE is the first project of its kind to get young people working together from different schools on developing an enterprise partnership.

Catherine Brentnall, Rotherham Ready project officer, said: "RISE is about giving young people who are disengaged from the mainstream curriculum a real challenge.

"The students involved in RISE are being young entrepreneurs, coming up with ideas, making decisions, taking risks, making mistakes but developing their skills and ambitions along the way.

"Getting five schools to work together in this type of project is unusual, in fact we can't find anything like it being run elsewhere so, it's another first for enterprise education in Rotherham."

Aston Comprehensive School, Clifton: A Community Arts School, Dinnington Comprehensive School, St Bernard's Catholic High School and Wingfield Business and Enterprise College are taking part in the project.

The project has been funded by the European Social Fund and has been developed by Rotherham Ready and TV garden design entrepreneur Lee Bestall, from Inspired Gardens.

Rotherham Ready is an enterprise programme, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund, that develops enterprise skills and culture in schools and colleges in Rotherham.