What is Small Business in Schools?
The aim of Many Rivers Small Business in Schools (SBiS) program is to build financial literacy and business awareness amongst young people that will lead to better financial choices throughout their lives, and a drive to be part of economic growth through small business participation. SBiS is currently in pilot phase.
How does it work?
The SBiS teaching approach and modules have been developed in consultation with educators, communities and students. In response to their feedback and to facilitate the introduction and use of the program by participants, the program has been developed as a package that includes detailed instruction as well as all the resources needed to deliver the lessons and related activities. This includes:
- An explanation on why each lesson is important;
- What the students’ learning objectives are;
- How each module aligns to the national curriculum (relevant to Part 1 only);
- An outline of the structure of each lesson;
- Details of how to run each lesson, including teaching scripts for ease of use and accessibility;
- The necessary student resources including worksheets, digi-activities, physical activities and key materials required; and
- An assessment tool to assess how students have improved through each module.
- A reference for how each module can align to the national curriculum
The program is not theoretical, it has been designed to be engaging and relevant to the students with hands-on activities that will make them excited to learn and to get involved and explore their ideas. They will be introduced to business by completing what is required to identify, plan and establish real and viable enterprises that they will then operate for a period in their school and community environment.
Part 1 of the Curriculum is designed to build a basis of understanding money and how to make positive money-related decisions, including the preparation of a budget. Part 2 then consolidates these learnings as they prepare and present their business ideas and plans in groups as part of an intra-school competition, which they will go on to establish and operate.
With the knowledge and skills learnt through the SBiS program, students will be encouraged to consider their choices and be productive and healthy members of their community through economic participation.
