Entrepreneurship in its purest form and young people with a lot of desire and innovative ideas. This is how the XIII edition of the mini-business program organized by the Junior Achievement Foundation has been developed. During the 2018-2019 academic year, 6,000 secondary, baccalaureate and vocational training students from 170 educational centers throughout Spain participated. The students, advised by teachers and professional volunteers, have developed more than 1,200 entrepreneurial projects.
The 18 best teams have been selected to participate in the National Competition that has been held on May 7 and 8 in Madrid. During the first day, the students presented their projects, defending their viability, and sold their products at a fair open to the public that took place at the Madrid Puerta de Atocha station. This morning, after the deliberation of the jury, the prizes were awarded at the Rafael del Pino Foundation.
The winning mini-company has been watersafe, a project whose objective is to reduce the amount of water consumed in homes. Its creators, students from the Bell.LLoc School in Gerona, will represent Spain in the JA-YE Europe Company of theYearCompetition European Final that will take place in Lille (France) from July 3-5. More than 200 young people from 35 countries will meet in this competition organized by Junior Achievement Europe in which the best project of 2019 will be selected.
The Digital Transformation Award granted by Equifax has been for SNITCH from Monteagudo School (Murcia), the ReadyforWork Award granted by ManpowerGroup has been for WATERSAFE from Bell.Lloc School (Gerona), the FedEx Access Award granted by FedEx has been for AIMING GOALS from the SEK School – Ciudalcampo (Madrid), the Diversity and Innovation Award granted by the EY Foundation has been for EDUCARDS from the San Cayetano School (Balearic Islands), the Disney Award for creativity awarded by The Walt Disney Company has been for RE FEEL IT from the School Montserrat (Barcelona), the Rookie Team of the Year Award granted by the Bayer Fund has gone to SABONE from the Escorial Vedruna Vic School (Barcelona), the Social Impact Award granted by the Madrid City Council has gone to DIFFERENT WAYS from the IES Tetuán de las Victorias (Madrid), the Innovation Award for business management awarded by the Rafael del Pino Foundation has gone to EASY BAG from the Colegio Fomento Los Robles (Asturias), the Feasibility and Scalability Award of the project awarded by Zurich has gone to EASY BAG from the Colegio Fomento Los Robles (Asturias) and the Customer Orientation Award granted by Citi went to ONLY BAMBÚ from the Colegio Fomento Peñamayor (Asturias).
DIFFERENT WAYS, winner of the Social Impact Award granted by the Madrid City Council, is dedicated to specialized theatrical guided tours with a clear vocation for social and cultural service that allows them to provide a response adapted to the different needs with attention to diversity. The themes: Mythological Madrid, Tasting Madrid, Forgotten Women, Magical Madrid, Madfor China... More information about this initiative through this video.
Promote entrepreneurship through real experiences
The Junior Achievement Foundation, the largest international non-profit organization in Europe in entrepreneurial education, financial training and preparation for working life, encourages entrepreneurship from an early age with programs such as mini-companies. A project aimed at secondary school, high school and vocational training students in which young people, advised by teachers and professional volunteers, create and run their own mini-business. After detecting a need in the labor market, they devise their business plan, launching their project and selling their products.
It is a real experience in which young people acquire skills and abilities necessary for both their professional and personal future. This is reflected in the Impact Study developed by the Junior Achievement Foundation in collaboration with the University of Murcia. The results reflect how the entrepreneurial spirit of the students is increased by 21% after their participation in the mini-business program. In the same way, their educational expectations increase in a 41%, and their level of perseverance in the face of tasks that lack motivation improves in a 54%.
The mini-business program is carried out thanks to the collaboration of Citi, Zurich, the Rafael del Pino Foundation, Bayer Fund, The Walt Disney Company, EY, Fedex, Manpower and Equifax, the Madrid City Council subsidy through the General Directorate of Trade and Entrepreneurship and the collaboration of Adif.
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