2009-10-06: First high school business plan competition

2009-10-06: First high school business plan competition

THE City of Johannesburg in partnership with the Grey Hat Foundation has launched the first High School Business Plan Competition in South Africa.

This initiative will provide participants with a curriculum to guide them through the process of thinking about and writing a business plan. This is a relatively new form of entrepreneurial cultivation, where corporate and successful individuals join hands in mentoring and coaching the youth throughout the competition and development of these business ideas.

The competition is about educating young people on various opportunities and services that are accessible to them.

The high school business plan competition will involve well known business and academic personalities in developing different business ideas generated by the youth.

This initiative will afford some entrepreneurial and financing institutions to identify bankable entrepreneurial ideas that can make a difference in these youngsters' lives. To this end, the initiative has identified ambassadors who will encourage young people to be responsible citizens, to be active economic participants, advocate the culture of saving amongst young people, avoid drugs and alcohol abuse and to volunteer their services in their communities.

This competition will also expose young people to various Youth Development programmes offered by different institutes including the National Development Agency, South African Youth (SAY – Card membership Programme) and the City's Young Entrepreneurship Implementation Strategy Framework.

Issued by:

Virgil James

Spokesperson

City of Johannesburg

082 467 9415

For more information contact:

Siboniso Ndlovu

Assistant Director

Policy Development Department of Economic Development

Tel: +2711-703 5250

Fax: +2711-703 5264

Mobile: 073 271 0115