New Year Inspiration!

Bringing in the New Year on a high, young Sheffield volunteers of the HOPE Project have received an award in return for their dedication to the community. International Project Director Bethan, who alongside others has worked hard on the HOPE project for a number of years, has been named as a regional winner in the vInspired National Awards.

Now in its 5th year, the vInspired National Awards, in association with RBS Early Careers, are the biggest of their kind, celebrating the achievements and dedication of young volunteers and the youth workers who support them. They aim to challenge negative attitudes towards young people by highlighting the creativity, motivation and generosity of some of the most inspiring young volunteers in the country.

Bethan has been named regional winner for the Yorkshire and Humber region in the ‘Most Outstanding Social Entrepreneur’ category.  The social enterprise HOPE, started out as a jewellery making initiative which aimed to give the survivors of trafficking in Sheffield skills, confidence and a sense of self-worth. The team recognised that women who wanted to go into employment still faced large barriers, so set up HOPE Cosmetics, which offers three months paid employment to survivors to provide these women with the knowledge, training, and experience to be able to support themselves and their family financially in the future. Bethan is also employed by the University of Sheffield as a student social entrepreneur in residence to support and engage more students within social enterprise. 

Bethan says: “It’s such an honour for HOPE and myself to be presented with this award. We don’t volunteer for recognition, helping people is enough motivation. But it’s great to know that people appreciate what the teams do. Running this project has given me loads more confidence and really helped me to improve my outlook on life and it’s brilliant that these awards not only celebrate the benefits of volunteering but also inspire young people to volunteer and make a difference in their communities.”

Terry Ryall, vInspired CEO says: “Bethan and the team are a complete inspiration. As a regional winner in the Most Outstanding Social Entrepreneur category you need to demonstrate a complete dedication to volunteering and show how you have built positive relationships, brought people from diverse backgrounds together and strengthened communities. Bethan has done all this and more and should be immensely proud of her achievements.”

The regional winners will be shortlisted to national finalists in February 2014 with the national award winners revealed at a star studded awards ceremony at the Indig02 in London on 27th March 2014.

The best bits of 2013!

Its the 2cd of January; the first OFFICIAL day of the new year (yesterday we we're all a little bit worse for wear). So today we're going to take a quick look back over the last year at some of the highlights of 2013.
I bring you 24 of Enactus Sheffield's best bits over the last 12 months:

1. The existence of the Enactus teddy bear

2. The time we thought of the "WHOLE solution"

3. The time Gary Wood helped us gunge-a-linguist to raise money for HOPE Nigeria

4. The two amazing and eye-opening visits made to Nigeria in 2013

5. Nationals Prep making Becky Davidson crazy enough to do gymnastics in the Enterprise Zone

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6. Meetings and more meetings!

7. And when Jo had FINALLY FINISHED the slideshow... (or had she...)

 8. Our proudest moment of 2013... the second runner up trophy!

 9. The time we all drank out of our Nationals trophy before the after party!

10. ...And not feeling so good in the morning.

11. The Sheffield SIFE 2013 Award ceremony

12. A heartbreaking goodbye to our leavers

13. And a HANDS IN on the last day that "Enactus Sheffield" was called "Sheffield SIFE"

14. Then the term ended and we had to say fairwell to our managing director, Jahaan

15. But we said hello to Caroline!

16. In September when we got NEW MEMBERS!

17. And got to know each at the first social

18. The time when Trish predrank oil...

19. The month when HomeMade Jam took over Sheffield! It's everywhere!

20. The epic Bears vs. Steelers match

21. Watching Southampton come second in the World Championships!



22. The time we went to the Grantham Training Weekend, didn't get any sleep, and had dance offs with other Enactus teams

23. The many many HOPE craft fayres of December!

24. And finally... rather squiffy exec members James and Becki in the 02 academy celebrating the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014!

Meet The Execs: Jonny Urmston

In following with our employability theme, this week we speak to Jonny Urmston, who as Corporate Relations Executive, is responsible for all contact we have with sponsors, companies and business advisors.


Name and course?

Jonny Urmston, third year Accounting and Financial Management

Tell us about your hometown 

I live in a village called Culcheth, it’s on the outskirts of Warrington. It’s not too small, but it only has one club which is pretty rubbish and it’s a half hour drive to either Manchester or Liverpool so it’s not the best for nights out! It has a nice golf course! It’s just closer to Manchester than Liverpool, so I’m justified in supporting Manchester United.

What was your favourite moment of the summer?

I did an internship with Deloitte in Liverpool and at the end of my placement, I had an interview for a grad job which I was successful in. So that was probably my best moment of the summer. Apart from that I went on a few holidays to Majorca and Rhodes but apart from that I pretty much worked all summer so nothing exciting!

Do you feel Enactus has improved your employability?

It has definitely improved my employability. You gain so much experience in your projects and when in an interview it is much more impressive than using examples from group work on your course. When I had an interview for my internship I was able to answer pretty much all of the competency questions with examples from being part of Enactus.

Marmite. Discuss. 

Have to admit I am pro-marmite. Wouldn’t say I was mad on it but I wouldn’t turn down marmite on toast!

If you had to move to another country, where would you go?

Either, America or Australia. I went to Sydney and Cairns on a biology field trip in college and it was amazing so I would love to go back! I’ve always wanted to travel round America, the food on Man vs Food looks awesome and I’d love to work on Wall street and have a huge house!   

How does actually working on a project compare to being an exec member?

There are benefits of both, so if you’ve joined Enactus early I would definitely recommend starting in a project and then moving onto the Exec team. When working in a project you get the chance to actually make an impact, be it either socially or make money to fund the social portfolio. It’s a great chance to meet new people in your team. Being part of the Exec team you have the chance to improve your leadership skills and you can contribute to the overall strategy of the company. Also, you can tell the person conducting an interview you’re actually a director of a Limited company which is pretty impressive!

List 3 things you couldn't live without.

Phone, muffins (got a new obsession) and Enactus (just for the blog)        

   

Favourite thing to munch on during Enactus evening?

Has to be a subway – Italian BMT

Employability Tips For Students!

Thinking about your future? I've put together a few hints and tips on making yourself employable for those who are just starting to consider what on earth they are going to do when they leave University!

1. Join a club/society

I'm currently in the process of researching employability for a careers essay, and yes, you get told this all the time for a reason: A Degree Is Not Enough. Employers recruit a shockingly low percentage of people with absolutely no work experience... zero percent infact. So get some experience! Turn up the freshers fair, and when you sign up for everything without intending to turn up to anything, make the effort to turn up to just one thing. Luckily for myself, the thing I chose to be worth my time was joining Enactus, so I decided to put my hangover aside for a couple of hours a week, and get going with some social enterprise. Employability wise, this was the smartest thing I have ever done.

2. Get involved

So you've selected your club/society and made a commitment. Well done. But the great thing about societies at University is that you can take as much or as little responsibility as you want. If you have a good idea for a new project, you can make it happen! Employers are looking for those individuals that show commitment and passion to a task or cause. As the HR director Kirsty will remind me, "You can always reach higher." 

3. Work experience and internships

Try to fill your CV with impressive and unique work experience. Utilise your parents/friends/neighbors when asking around to see if anyone can let you shadow them for a week. Paid summer internships with large companies are extremely competitive, but being successful is all down to practice. In second year, I must have applied to over 40 organisations; finally getting lucky in the last week of term. So my advice would be, keep trying keep trying keep trying!

4. Networking opportunities

Some people already have contacts in the industries they are trying to get into, but many don't! In this case, its important to make the effort and grow your networks. The careers department send out weekly emails about employers visiting the University, and turning up to these will give you the chance to meet representatives. Joining Enactus also allows members the chance to network with employers and business advisers, and trust me, they remember you at interview!

5. Research

 Employers like to check that you've made the effort to find out what kind of role you genuinely want to do, they don't want to waste your time as much as you don't want your time wasted. So when you apply for a company and role, make sure your reasons for doing so are concrete and that you can explain this to them. Having networked with representatives is a good way to prove your point; if you can pinpoint and explain something a graduate has told you, this will really display your interest.

6. Reflection

Another important aspect is reflection. Reflecting on your strengths and weaknesses will allow you to improve on anything that you feel you need to. Companies also feel it is important for a potential employer to be able to reflect and improve, so practice this throughout your work experience and time spent in societies/clubs. Ask your friends and peers for feedback and think about what you can do.

7. Use the careers service

Have you been in the careers library lately?? Theres computers, hundreds of books trying to help you decide what you want to do, and even more books showing you all the jobs out there with pros, cons and salary expectations. Drop in sessions and official appointments allow you to speak with members of the careers department, who can check your applications, give you CV help, or just chat to you about your options. Sheffield students can book an appointment by calling the Careers Service on 0114 222 0910.

8. Online applications

A thousand hours later, when you finally click "submit" on an online application, you need to come away with the feeling that there is no way the company can possibly ignore what you have written. Think of ways you can adapt your experiences to display the qualities they are looking for in the competency question. For example, if you have been part of an international team, you could explain how this meant you had to deal with conflict, cope under pressure, work in a team, motivate others or negotiate new deals, depending on what the company is asking and looking for. Look at the core characteristics the company ask for in a person, and try and drop these "buzzwords" into your answers to get noticed.

9. Assessment centres

You've already been tested and identified as someone capable of doing the role, and now it's just time to show your personality. So when your sitting in a sweltering corporate room surrounded by other candidates and being stared at by assessors, remember to smile! Keep your energy levels high all day, ask as many questions as you can think of, connect with those around you and show your enthusiasm. Even if, on paper, you may not be the strongest candidate for the role, if you can win them over with your energy then the assessors will want to work with you. 

10. Join The Intern

The Intern is a competition run by Enactus for students, providing the winner & runner up with paid summer internships with two Times Top-100 Companies. The competition will involve a structure similar to that of The BBC Apprentice, with different entrepreneurial tasks running each week. Not only could you win an internship, but through the competition you can gain skills for life, and receive exemptions from your Sheffield Graduate Award.

Sign up to our mailing list below to receive updates before the competition starts in Early 2014.
http://theinternsheffield.wordpress.com/

Rest In Peace Nelson Mandela

Friday at Penelopes for H2Ohh!

The night started of with some chilled vocals from Growlin' Al Gordon and Robbie Thompson of The Buffalo Skinners, followed by ambitious young band Brave New Storm (one to watch... we've been loving their songs recently). 

Then the Friday Night Jazz Ensemble from the University played some classic jazz mixed in with some RnB mash ups. This was hard to follow, but the University Samba Band managed it, which really got the audience going with their beats. I've watched them play on the concourse outside the student union before and was so captivated I couldn't leave. The band have excellent taste in socks. Anyway, the night finished with newly signed local band I Set The Sea on Fire, who are bound to go on to to big things (check them out on YouTube!!). The band and audience really enjoyed the chilled, intimate atmosphere, which is typical of the venue at Penelopes. Who knows... we might even hold another next term!  

Meet The Execs: Caroline Turner

The long anticipated interview with the managing director of Enactus Sheffield, Caroline, is finally here. Caroline has put her heart and soul into managing the company, so its not surprising that when asked what she would do with 24 hours and a limitless budget, the first thing she thinks of is simply "sleep". 

Name and course?
Caroline and I am a second year accounting and financial management student. When you first signed up as a member last year, did you have any idea how much you would get involved in Enactus? No! Definitely not, I was very happy working in HOPE and loved my team and the great work the project does. In fact, when Bethan, the international director, approached me to step up to the HOPE Nigeria team I actually said no twice. The somehow I just got more involved and ended up shadowing the previous managing director, still certain that I was fine in my original project and reluctant to move. Having said that I couldn’t be happier that I became more involved as now Enactus is my life. I would definitely recommend that everybody signs up to the rotational trainee scheme! Where was your favorite holiday?
My all time favourite holiday was to Thailand where I got to ride elephants and feed baby tigers - it was incredible! I would love to go back one day. Describe your bedroom? Colourful - mainly pink! I also got 500 pictures printed out last year so there’s not much free wall space. If you had 24 hours to do absolutely whatever you wanted, with no responsibilities or a budget, what would you do? The possibilities to do something really exciting are endless but I think I would just catch up on sleep, and probably visit my family as I definitely don’t see enough of them! What was it like taking over from Jahaan, the previous managing director? A little bit scary to say the least! She was MD for 3 years and left a legacy of incredible projects and pushed the company forward to change lives more than anyone else ever has, so as you can imagine, that’s big shoes to fill! Jahaan is still involved though and I talk to her regularly, I couldn’t be more grateful for the work she put into the company and the help she gives us now. Favourite game on your iphone? Candy Crush Saga takes up WAY too much of my life, although I also snapchat one of my sisters about 100 times per day. Tell us your favourite university memory.
Probably during freshers when we decided to take 7 of our office chairs and race them down the hills in Ranmoor - it was great fun although nearly led to a broken leg! We didn’t get caught (although maybe I will now) but some others tried to copy us and promptly broke their chairs and got caught by security - so please don’t try and copy this! Describe a typical day in the life of Caroline? Wake up around 8 or 9 in the morning, do Enactus work, go to a variety of meetings, I spend about an hour replying to all my emails, go to lectures, and if I have time spend some time with my housemates. (They’re usually laughing at my failed attempts to cook edible food!)

Dinner in the Dark at the World Food Festival

Last night, Dinner in the Dark featured at the yearly World Food Festival, with the intention of showing people what this project is all about. At the festival, we allowed participants the choice between chicken, beef and veg; but their dish was selected randomly from a box, before being served to them blindfolded. It was amazing to see people having all kinds of fun and experiencing their food in a way they never had before, forcing them to heighten their other senses while trying to feel and find the food.

With over 15 stalls presenting a huge array of dishes, from handmade Indian kheez to African kachumbari and syrup bandung to satay sticks, diners were spoilt for choice. As well as food from Japan, India, Kazakhstan, and many more, there was entertainment in the form of music, dance and cultural expression. A highlight for myself was the salsa dancing; which invoked as much flame and enthusiasm for the onlookers as the African dishes had half an hour earlier. The performance, the atmosphere and the delicious food (which was finished far too quickly) made for an absolutely beautiful evening, which we will definitely be returning to in 2014. 

PWC Quiz Challenge

Last week quiz enthusiasts Jonny and Mat were led to victory by quiz team leader Paddy

When the boys turned up at the quiz it became apparent that a quarter of the questions were on PWC... which had not been prepared for. There were 11 Leeds teams and only one lowly Sheffield team consisting of Enactus members. 

Despite this, our Enactus Sheffield quiz champions managed to win by one point, securing £1000 for the social projects and a place in the National finals in London!

Congratulations to Jonny, Mat and Paddy (left to right) for their impressive brain power! Here they are pulling a "winners" pose:

HOPE Local- Update.

For this update I spoke to Josephine, a member of one of the HOPE Local projects. I wanted to know how the team were settling into their project; and This is what Josephine told me:

"Last Friday we went to a training day session at the safe house, where we were told about the aims and practices of the safehouse itself as well as their rules regarding confidentiality and boundaries. This is very important for the security of the beneficiaries we will work with.

On Wednesday we had our design workshop with the women. We began the session by introducing ourselves and giving an outline of the project, including what business skills they would acquire through the making and selling of jewellery, as well as the care packages that we will offer to them at the end. We then went on to show the women different mood boards and pictures of different styles of bracelets, of which we narrowed down to 6 choices which the women liked the look of and looked easy to make. My group leader Hollie will create a prototype of the final two designs.

The women all seemed really enthusiastic about the project and were very keen to get involved and get started. There is also the possibility that more women will be joining from the safehouse in the weeks to follow. Here are some picture I took some pictures during the design workshop."

Thank you Josephine!

Beautiful handmade jewellery made out of recycled material

 All of the crafts are handmade by independant womans groups in Kampala, Uganda from recycled materials such as seeds, banana leaves and magazines. The women get a fair price; 4 times then they would normally be able to sell it for.

50% of the revenue goes to funding the sustainable water projects accross Africa and the other 50% goes to an NGO which funds social development in Kampala, working with vulnerable children in slums.

Models: Codrina & James

Watermade presents... H20hhh!

First off, what is Watermade?

Think about how you spend an average day. In the UK, one of the first things you do in the morning involves clean and readily available water. In fact, the average person in the UK uses 150 litres of water every single day.

Yet roughly ONE TENTH of the worlds global population don't have access to clean, safe water. Watermade wants to make clean, safe water a reality for as many people as possible.

 "Everything made good."

In light of this Watermade are collaborating with Penelopes Sheffield for the 6 hour experience that is H2ohhh!

We’re bringing you folk, indie, samba, funk, soul, reggae, world beats and more in a night of musical talent from Sheffield and beyond. All in the name of charity.

Also featuring DJ OLOJEE (Finlay Green) and ZOLA (Myr Wakefield)

£5 ADV - At Penelopes, Arundel Gate, Sheffield.
https://www.facebook.com/events/664932196870478/?fref=ts

Tickets can be bought in advance from 
http://www.seetickets.com/Event/watermade-presents-h2ohhh-/penelopes/752047

Meet the Execs: Bethan Rimmington

Bethan, now a masters student (partly because she just couldn't bring herself to leave), is the project director for a selection of the international projects in Sheffield's portfolio. I shall let her explain... 

Name and course? 

Bethan Rimmington, Masters in International Development 

What was your first impression of Enactus when you joined? 

 I didn’t really know what to think of it at first, I joined the HOPE City Hearts project (just City Hearts back then) because I wanted to do something to help the women but hadn’t wanted to volunteer in the safe house. There were some very odd meetings in the first few weeks when we were discussing making the women in HOPE look after chickens and sell the eggs which I am glad was never implemented! The first time I ‘got’ Enactus and the power it can have was when I sat down with the Project Leader and did some ideas generation and planning for the project. That was when I realised that, despite having only just joined as a member, I could have a real impact on this project and therefore these women’s lives. I haven’t looked back since. 

Where is your favourite place in Sheffield? 

 I really like the Dam House looking over Crookes Valley Park on a sunny day. Mainly because of the view but also because the previous managing director of Enactus Sheffield used to work there so I have really lovely memories of spending time with her and some other Enactus friends there! I also went there for my graduation meal which was lovely. 

Any plans for after graduation? 

I’m fairly sure you aren't meant to ask final year students that unless you have already heard they have a job lined up… I want to go into social enterprise and International development so will be applying for jobs in that area when I (finally!) graduate. 

What made you so interested in international projects? 

After my first year in Enactus I volunteered with a charity called Tenteleni in a secondary school in South Africa. (They are currently recruiting NOW for next summer – I would recommend it to anyone!). It was such a great experience and within a week I had completely fallen in love with Africa. It’s such a beautiful, vibrant and friendly place. I came back thinking how great it would be to be have the skills and confidence to work there and after a few more months of Enactus I started to question why I thought I didn’t have the skills and confidence?! It was then I decided I was going to combine the two things I love and try and work in social enterprise in Africa. Since then I have been on two trips to Nigeria to implement HOPE Nigeria and am currently working on some more of our international projects this year. 

Favourite food in the world? 

I really love lemon pudding as my mum has made it for almost all of my birthdays since before I can remember. It’s not the same unless it’s a bit burnt though…. 

When did your alarm go off this morning? 

7am this morning. Kills me as I am not a good morning person but if I want to balance a masters, a job, Enactus and a position on the Tenteleni committee then I’ve got to do it! Radio 1 helps get me up. 

Best moment of Grantham 2013? 

This year was my second Grantham and it was yet again such an amazing experience. I love the feeling of being part of something so big, and how proud Jim, the executive director, is of all his Enactus students. My favourite moment was at the posh dinner (well, as posh as a dinner at PGL can be). Jim got on stage and simply asked “What happened at your University that wouldn’t have happened if you weren’t there?”. He then played a video that showed all the amazing projects from around the UK and it was such a special moment knowing you were in a room of hundreds of students who were going out of their way to help others and would leave a legacy, no matter how small, of something they had made better. 

Would you describe yourself as a good driver? 

Haha, so I’m guessing this has come up because I have been the designated Enactus driver for three years now! In my first Enactus year we practically ran the City Hearts project out of my car and after transporting all the shea butter for HOPE Cosmetics it will now forever smell of raw shea butter. So I am a pretty confident driver which unfortunately means I sometimes don’t pay attention and have a few near mishaps. In six years of driving though nothing serious has ever happened, well... unless you count me knocking down the wall outside of my house. But I maintain it was so old that all it needed was a tap and the whole thing would come down…

Grantham 2013

The highlight of the Enactus UK year was this weekend; the annual Grantham training weekend. A mixture of team members, team leaders and executives traveled down on Friday morning to enjoy a couple of days of team building, networking, meeting other universities, and a healthy amount of wine.

Here is an account of what Jonny Morris, a first year member, experienced over the weekend.

"I didn’t really know what to expect from Grantham; it was pretty strange being back at a PGL centre, I thought I’d left them behind in year 6! Friday consisted of the ‘Development Centre’, which was full of things about CVs, interviews, and how to find a job or a placement. Being a 1st year, it was a pretty daunting concept, and I’d only written the first draft of my first ever CV the night before. However, it was incredibly useful, and actually pretty fun – I learned loads, and even cheekily handed my CV to someone from SC Johnson who was giving me feedback on my presentation skills. As an Enactus member from Lincoln told me, ‘he who dares….’! 

Meeting teams from around the country was a really awesome experience, and it fully dawned on me that I had joined a community of motivated, caring and passionate young entrepreneurs that stretched all over the world. There were far too many names and faces for one weekend! Hearing the way people talked about their projects made me excited to see how I could improve mine with the knowledge they shared. It also made it all the more fun when all these inspiring people (including a few from Enactus Sheffield…) showed off their best moves at Saturday’s inevitable cheesy disco. Winning an inadvertent dance-off with a Southampton executive and witnessing Kirsty’s obsession with S Club 7 manifest itself shows how little idea I had about what this weekend would be like. 

As well as finding out about the wider Enactus community, it was great to learn about Sheffield’s heritage. Our projects were mentioned in quite a few of the seminars, and some of the sessions were also taught by Sheffield alumni. I’m lucky to be part of such a big team, with so many characters in it! The outdoor activities we did together over the weekend also showed that we’re pretty good at working together, even if there are some problems we can’t get right first time (see picture of me stuck handcuffed to Jo…). 

Grantham was an exhausting experience. However it was so worthwhile, and I know I’ve gained loads from it to take back to my project team. I can’t wait to get going with everything I’ve learned; I suppose, as my elder sister warned me, I’ve become thoroughly ‘Enactified’…"

Jonny and Jo during one of the team building exercises:



























Trish, another first year member, wants everyone to know how helpful she found the weekend in terms of inspiration for her project, and enjoyed the outdoor activities. "As university students, if throwing ourselves off a 15 foot high wooden pole first thing in the morning doesn’t appropriately convey our passion for social enterprise through Enactus, then nothing else will!" From the looks of things, Trish also particularly enjoyed trampling on the backs of some team leaders:

As always, Grantham was a hugely inspirational weekend, and despite the hideously early starts, everyone will be talking about the weekend for months (probably because of the hideously early starts). After this yearly event all teams go back to university with new ideas and ways of solving potential problems in the projects. Sheffield would like to say a big thank you to Enactus UK and the Enactus Alumni.

Sheffield Steelers vs. Sheffield Bears

 On the 13th November, the stage was set at Ice Sheffield for the University's Sheffield Bears to take on the Sheffield Steelers in what promised to be one of the most exiting fixtures in the ice hockey calendar.

Amongst hundreds of fans, Enactus members joined in supporting the university teams attempt to take on the Steelers. For those of you who haven't seen an Ice Hockey match before (like many of us before last Wednesday); you have been missing out all your life.

A partnership between the Steelers and Enactus Sheffield meant that tickets sold for the one off event had raised money for social projects within Sheffield. The professional Steelers team stormed to victory leaving the University team defeated, but every member of the audience left with a smile on their face. We will be back!