Principle
The Youth in Business Program is a learning experience for young people, teachers and business people. Senior secondary school students form a company, become directors, and develop products that they market and sell. YIB (modelled on the New Zealand Young Enterprise Scheme) is school based and teaches skills in budgeting, planning, interpersonal relations, decision making, reporting, communications, risk management and teamwork.
The young entrepreneurs add value to school based knowledge, learn how to run a business, learn the value of being enterprising, develop a "can do" attitude, and learn to take and manage risks. The competition allows them to interact with positive business role models, obtain a “hands on” experience in the development of business competencies, get the opportunity to test their own creativity and innovation, and earn improved skills in teamwork, communication, decision making, planning, time management and leadership.
In New-Zealand, the scheme is supported at the local level by Regional Coordinators, who, during the year find business mentors for each company, arrange directors' seminars, trade fairs, oral and end of year presentations, and teacher/mentor training.
In Tonga
The YIB Program is a Tonga Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc. (TCCI) Initiative in Partnership with the Secondary Schools Principals Association and the Ministry of Education.
The project will be developed on a 3-year period, as follows:
Year 1 (2010) pilot with 4 schools
Prize: a trip to New-Zealand in order to visit businesses and meet teams of students competing in the YES program
Year 2 (2011) regional with all the schools of Tongatapu
Prize: to compete in New Zealand finals
Year 3 (2012) national with all the schools in Tonga
Prize: to compete in the Regional finals in Singapore
Timeline of events
24 May: Oral presentation of the business plan by the teams to the judging panel
31 May: Seed Capital Awards Ceremony: the 4 best teams get an initial capital (between $1,000 and $3,000) to start their business
June – September: The 4 winning teams create, market and sell their products at different places (eg. flea markets) and on different occasions (eg. Heilala Festival)
September: Final competition
November: The winning team, accompanied by their Commerce Teacher, their business mentor, and a chaperone chosen by the parents, fly to Wellington for 5 days
Steering committee
- 3 members from TCCI (Cecile Quesada-Moaeteau, Aloma Johansson & Tsutomu Nakao II)
- 1 representative from Min. Ed (Teresa Pahulu)
- President of Secondary Schools Commerce Teachers Association (Ma’ata Fakava)
- 2 from Secondary Schools Principals Association: Chair (Paul Fonua) & Secretary, (‘Ungatea Kata)
Judging Panel
- President of TCCI (Paula Taumoepeau)
- Robina Nakao (nominated by TCCI Council)
- President of the Bankers Association (Arthur Hubbard, General Manager, ANZ)
- Representative nominated by Secondary Schools Principal Association (Aisake Vaisima)
Competing Schools & Mentors
- ‘Apifo’ou College – Monalisa Palu
- Beulah College – Kisione Tupou
- Liahona High School – Rhonda or Wayne Lance
- Ocean of Light International School – Mary Fonua
- Queen Salote College – Soane Liutai
- Tailulu College – Edgar Cocker
- Tonga College ‘Atele – Liz Sullivan
- Tonga High School- Christine ‘Uta’atu
- Tupou High School – Dion Palu
Winning teams
- Ocean of Light / Project Faith : $1,000
- Tupou High School / Organic Greens : $1,500
- ‘Apifo’ou College / Hepi Jojo Sparkling Look : $2,000
- Liahona High School / PolyTexture : $3,000
Donors to date: New Zealand High Commission.
Sponsors to date: Tonga Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc, E.M. Jones Group, Pacific Finance and Investments Group, TCCI, Western Union–Fexco, FedEx, Escape Café.
Current as at: 04rd June 2010
YOUTH IN BUSINESS TEAM
