GIRLS from a Bournemouth secondary have helped a notorious dragon launch a national search to find fresh talent like them. Pupils from Avonbourne School were chosen to assist Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Peter Jones who is leading a £400,000 initiative to unleash an entrepreneurial spark in UK schoolchildren.
Called the ‘Tenner Tycoon’ the Bournemouth girls were last year’s national winners for their inspiring community project Internet Rangers, which helps OAPs become online savvy.
The Avonbourne project saw the girls tutor elderly residents in internet skills such as using email, booking train tickets and researching hobbies online.
Former Blue Peter presenter Valerie Singleton OBE visited the school to support the project; the girls won awards for the scheme including one from BT, and were invited to Number 10 and the Houses of Parliament to tell ministers about their work.
They have also been the subject of TV documentaries and their latest foray into the media spotlight to launch this year’s Tenner Tycoon saw them take part in a photo shoot at famous Worx studio in London as well as feature on BBC News and GMT.
They have also appeared in national newspapers including the Telegraph and Times.
"This scheme is a superb opportunity for students to experience what the life of an entrepreneur can be like,” said Kathryn Loughnan, Avonbourne’s head of ICT and Internet Rangers’ mentor.
“With a little risk, some creativity and a can-do attitude they might find they have launched a whole new business concept.”
This year’s Tenner Tycoon will see more than 40,000 young people across the UK encouraged to start their own business using a £10 note.
Organisers Enterprise UK, an enterprise campaign agency, says the aim is to inspire entrepreneurship in young people against a backdrop of “the worst youth unemployment figures in a generation”.
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