Moree secondary students grow their entrepreneurial skills

UNE SMART Region Incubator partnered with Illuminate Education Australia to encourage innovation and introduce Moree high school students to the possibilities of entrepreneurship.

The Illuminate community challenge was delivered to more than 80 secondary students, from Moree Secondary College and St Philomena’s Catholic School.

During the event, students worked in teams to explore community values and consider what makes a vibrant community. They identified problems in their own community, and devised solutions!

The students heard from peers, community members and business mentors, and were excited to be visited by Adam Marshall, Member for the Northern Tablelands, and UNE SRI Director Lou Conway, who both took time to listen and provide feedback during the event. They were impressed to see so many brilliant business ideas develop!

At the end of the week , students submitted their business cases and pitched to community leaders including the Hon Mark Coulton MP, Moree Major Cr Johnson and Darrel Smith CEO of Miyay Birray Youth Services. Then, during one final ‘pressure cooker’ activity, students experienced how it might be to work with rapidly changing circumstances in the fast-paced entrepreneurial world.

The award ceremony was a celebration of student inquiry, teamwork, collaboration, and entrepreneurship. The ‘winning’ team provided a solution for a 24hr Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre for the community.

Students all developed their skills in communication, understanding, solving problems, and working smart. They gained some sense of what it means to be an entrepreneur, and a glimpse of new possibilities!

This UNE SRI project received support through the Youth Entrepreneur Program (YEP), funded by the NSW Government Stronger Country Communities Fund.