Young Enterprise supports over 250,000 students every year to harness their personal and business skills and to realise their potential. The charity’s mission is very much aligned with Mary Seacole’s, setting out “to inspire and equip young people to learn and succeed [through enterprise]”.
In 2017, Jack Davy Dupris, a Mary Seacole client, won the national Young Enterprise Journey Award. Jack was one of 20,000 young people who set up and ran a real business with Young Enterprise’s flagship ‘Company Programme’. Jack won the award because he made the most transformational journey during his experience, overcoming tough obstacles to develop his key skills.
‘Company Programme’ students develop their key employability skills by making all the decisions about their business, from deciding the company name and product, to creating a business plan, managing their finances and selling their products. Jack believes the programme has taught him how to see things through to the end and not give up. He is determined to make a positive future for himself.
When Jack started the programme he was not comfortable talking within the group or confident in doing presentations. Taking part in the Young Enterprise programme has developed and enhanced skills Jack already had but was not able to utilise due to a lack of confidence. Jack is now able to present to different people on a weekly basis and he is extremely natural and confident in talking in different group settings. He now believes in himself and his goals in life have grown through Young Enterprise.
With the support, mentoring and guidance of Kimberley Lamb, Young Enterprise manager for Bedfordshire and Mary Seacole’s Engagement and Safeguarding Officer Nicole Christophi, Mary Seacole will continue to embrace the Young Enterprise initiative and encourage our clients to feel encouraged and motivated by Jack’s achievements.
“Jack’s success is testament to Young Enterprise’s ability to unlock the potential in young people” – Lorraine McMullen, Community Investment Manager at Keepmoat Regeneration, Supporter of Young Enterprise in Luton
