Purpose:
This project started because students wanted to assess
the feasibility of small business schemes that they thought
may make them some money. These students either didn't have
access to an accountant, or preferred to work it out for
themselves. They were students who didn't feel ready for
TAFE but were still keen to start a business project.
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Class structure
and students:
The project was first used with a small group of
unemployed students in a 'Workskills program', who were
working at Levels 1-4 in numeracy. The activities involve
mostly group work with some one to one work at times.
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Focus questions
and procedure:
We started with this focus question:
- Why have you decided to investigate this small
business idea? (This can open up the quantitative and
qualitative reasoning behind the choice, and lead into
the streams indicated on the Tendering
grid, rather than the teacher leading the
questions)
and then we
- Discuss (in pairs) answers to the "Why", with
students recording all their ideas
- As a group, tabulate the results on the board or
butcher's paper, and discuss students' questions, with
some teacher input if needed
- Some of the issues that students come up with
include:
- capital outlay,
- experience/knowledge,
- office space,
- cost of office and electricity, gas etc.,
- maintenance,
- expected customers,
- prices,
- profit and loss,
- insurance,
- job satisfaction,
- transport
- equipment,
- skills and personal capabilities (physical) and
energy, and
- time required
- Some of the questions that we discuss include:
- Do you need any capital? Can you access capital
through family/friends/bank? What payback
arrangements can be made? Interest and time
period?
- What training do you need?
- How much space do you need-area/volume for your
activity? Measurements?
- What are the incomes and expenses estimates?
Resources? Where from?
- Can we calculate what our time and effort is
worth? Where does this come into the picture?
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Student
action:
- Listen to initial teacher question and
instructions
- Discuss issues in pairs
- Work with the whole group work when recording
discussion responses
- In pairs, construct their own
budget/tender/balance sheet estimate outlining issues
and questions to be asked/discussed
- Swap outlines for checking and discuss further
questions that arise
- Decide if their 'small business' idea in the
community is looking like a feasible option.
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Extensions:
- Look at specific 'small business' options for
particular students eg. home hairdressing,
maintenance, handyman, family day care, cottage crafts
to sell at local markets, lawn mowing. These act as
examples if students are stuck.
- Have speakers from the community come in to talk
about the practical issues involved.
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Variations:
- Consider the current Centrelink requirements of
the 'Activity Tests' and the 'Mutual Obligation', and
how this and a 'small business' enterprise would fit
together.
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Assessment and
accreditation levels:
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NRS
Level(s):
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1-5
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CGEA Learning
Outcome(s):
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2.5, 3.5, 4.5 and other areas
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CVA (Qld)
was
CNL:
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203 to 205
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