What is the Young Chamber?

Head of Department:
Mr Ben Sutherland

Phone: 01904 415906

Burnholme Community College partnered with York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, attended an event at Aston Villa FC on Thursday 24 May having been selected as (one) of only 51 schools in the country to take part in phase one of a major new national initiative – Young Chamber – that gives young people aged 11 - 19 a greater understanding of, and involvement with, the world of business and enterprise.

Young Chamber creates a structure and framework that puts students in the driving seat and along with support from their teachers and local Chamber, ensures they have a ‘voice’ to say how they feel on issues that affect their local economic environment. They are also actively involved in setting up a Young Chamber in their School that will help the school link the students’ interests with the world of work.

Young Chamber, supported by the Chancellor Gordon Brown in this year’s budget report, builds on existing programmes and networks available for students and employers to work and learn from each other, by partnering schools with local businesses via their local chambers of commerce membership and associated business networks.

It creates a new focus for relationships between schools, Chambers and local brokers such as Education Business Partnerships by enabling the local chamber of commerce to collaborate with other providers, and act as the link between schools and the local business community to coordinate and facilitate a wide range of enterprise activities for students. These might include undertaking research relevant to both students and local business, problem -solving challenges set by the business community, mentoring, interview skills and business simulations.

“The whole idea of the Young Chamber gives direction for education and business to work together. The Government obviously feel that the idea is worth it by the amount of money which each school and local chamber of commerce will receive for their particular activities - I’m very much looking forward to being involved” - Ben Sutherland Assistant Headteacher Burnholme Community College.

Young Chamber is part of the government’s enterprise education strategy which encourages greater enterprise capability among young people in education and requires them ‘to be creative and innovative, to take risks and manage them, and to do so with determination and drive.’

Young Chamber is delivered by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust in association with the British Chambers of Commerce and in collaboration with the National EBP Network, and funded by the Department for Education and Skills.

For more information on Young Chamber, contact Ben Sutherland (Assistant Headteacher) at Burnholme Community College or Karl Elliott (Operations Director) York & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce

Young Chamber Update!

The Young Chamber in Burnholme Community College has enjoyed a successful first term. The Young Chamber Council is strong with a good representation from each year group.

The council has managed to oversee the introduction of two micro businesses. The Stationery Shop is now up and running operating from the library. Two Year 8 students run the shop during lunchtimes. The shop is well stocked and the students and teachers of Burnholme College regularly use the shop for their stationery requirements. The second micro business is run and operated by two Year 11 students. Every Tuesday lunchtime, they put on a magic show for the students in Burnholme. As well as entertaining the audience, the boys explain how the tricks are executed along with other ‘tricks of the trade’.

As the council is close to the end of their first term, plans are now being prepared for the action plan for the second term – all at Burnholme are excited by the proposition. Finally the Young Chamber Council and the students of Burnholme would like to thank all the businesses who have shown an interest in the project and hope you all have a successful New Year.