Business starting up, Ideas needed please!!

No need. I just wondered if we were going over old ground is all. Its good that your excited about it all. No point doing it if its not fun. Remove the fun, and it becomes a chore. I wish you luck in your venture, whatever form it finally takes, and hope we can help you along with it if we can.

 

You should go through with this: it's a great idea.

Getting in:

Schools do have budgets for assistants to come in, or for 'special activities' or 'projects' - especially if it fits in with the national curriculum. And most teachers love having someone come in because it's less work for them. You can help them choose you by helping them to cover their backs. You just need to give them a piece of paper with what you're going to do, written in a way that seems to fit in with the National Curriculum for the age group you're intending to help. Something like this:

1) Name of activity:
2) Target group: age of pupils you're aiming at.
3) Aim: what you want the pupils to have learnt (intellectually) after doing your activity. Something like: they will gain a practical understanding, respect and feeling for a) plants and gardens by taking part in associated physical activities b) the time-scale involved in natural processes c) the way that humans can influence and help protect the natural environment. The activities will stimulate pupil's enthusiasm for learning more about natural processes within the fields of design, biology.. etc.
4) Objectives: At the end of the sessions, children will have designed and made a greenhouse from waste material which the school can then use to.....
5) Steps:
Sessions 1-2 (e.g. 45 mins each): choosing the design...
Sessions 2-4: making the basic construction...
etc etc.
6) Budget, costs.

Copy it and stick it in a few ring binders which you can show schools and give them - perhaps with some photos. You willing to take a whole class at a time? Or half a class? It doesn't really matter if the activities turn out differently to how you planned them. But writing it up first will get you in.

If you look up the National Curriculum on line you might be able to borrow some of its language and sort of insert it into your prospectus. (Which is what teachers do and none of us understand the gobbledygook in the National Curriculum).

Don't worry about tieing what you are doing to any one particular subject area; so called cross-curricular activities are all the rage. It's a good idea to phone up and speak to some heads of departments in schools - perhaps buy them a drink at lunchtime. They'll give you ideas and perhaps support you when the time comes to get the funding. Then ask for meetings with a few headteachers.

As for how to organise the sessions: just make sure that if you are going to have the kids with you for 45 minutes, then remember that the part where you speak and they listen can only last for a minute before they start going mental. But if you can break down the practical task and the lesson into, say three parts: give them a demo and then a single clear instruction before each activity and then give them a time deadline to do it in, then you'll have them looking forward to you coming.

The activities themselves have to be something that can be broken down into, say, 5-15 minute long tasks. Give them an idea of what you're all aiming at and aim high: not just any bottle-greenhouse: but one that will stand up to strong winds, be insulated and look aesthetically pleasing. Let there be some limited choices the children can make so they feel involved.

A bottle greenhouse is a good one. But so is anything; planting, double-digging, pruning, making seed trays, making compost, making a sand-pit - anything. Just give them a gleaming vision of what they'll have at the end and break the task down into little stages. And if some of it involves the children waiting, then that's no problem. Give them paper and tell them to draw and explain what they are doing.

I would wish you the best of luck.

 

Why can't he do all 3? There's nothing wrong with dipping your finger in as many pies as possible is there? Better than concentrating on one area and failing.

Garden maintenance is where the money is, you can't really get around this. But I personally wouldn't say no to £8-10 an hour.

 

Thank you Shiney.

Good ideas you've got about local businesses too. The school should have connections too since they'll have work experience schemes for their 15-16 year-olds with local companies. If they are acadamy schools then he'll probably have to approach them individually. If they are normal council-funded schools then the local council might be able to arrange a scheme where he goes in to all the local schools.

The kind of special sessions I saw that came in to high schools were:

- some PC council-funded drama group that got the children to role-play divorce (in a school where only one parent was separated),
- some out of work performance artists that taught circus skills (!) and
- some out of work artists that got the children making face masks from clay that were unwearable.

Expertise? Hardly. Most of the people that did it were failures in their chosen profession. That's why they had the time! So you see, if complete rubbish like that gets funding, then something involving the natural world (what with schools continuing obsession with 'the environment', re-cycling and the 'global warming' myth), should be a shoe in.

Children do have short attention spans. But come on, what do children do at school most of the time? Sit on a hard chair at a desk and scratch on pieces of paper. They'll love what Chris is suggesting and so will the school.

I'll even write his presentation for him if he wants!

 

Hey guys sorry about not being on in a while, Been very busy with family recently so haven't had 2 minutes to myself!

I have a weeks meeting starting tomorrow with Prince Charles Trust (they help set up and fund new business ideas) were I can propose my ideas and see what they think.

I am thinking make this year a 'trial and error period' were I can try and test things, Find cheaper affordable ways to make raised beds and things that others can afford. As I don't want to rush into this with little experience and to let down others.
I am currently trying to get a place at the local allotment with no luck BUT may have struck lucky with a big garden and lots of space where I can volunteer! This will give me the opportunity to try and test my ideas and expand my knowledge!

What I want to ask is if anyone knows how to make/build a cheap greenhouse? I am quite good with woodwork so fancy my chances, As I want the greenhouse to go at the side of my house and advertise things inside it as its on a busy road. This is the main reason I don't want to fork out and pay for a greenhouse as I predict that people will eventually damage it or try steal from it. :(

A big thank you to every one for your help and a special thanks to Cacadores as the first point gave me some really good information which I will put into use!

Hope every is well and has a good spring!

 

Thanks, and I wish you luck at the Prince Charles Trust.

You could build a greenhouse from wood and insulation boards you find in hired skips: off cuts, old window frames and so on. But you'd still have to buy the glass, screws and other missing bits. To be honest, the cheapest way to get a greenhouse is to sign up to freecycle or buy one on e-bay.

 

I found second hand greenhouses can be a pain in the backside.

Both of the ones I successfully won on ebay and freecycle had the panes of glass glued in with some kind of sealant. Ended up just buying a brand new one.

The cheapest way to make raised beds, is not to make raised beds if you get my drift . Not everyone needs raised beds and I think way too many people think that's the only option for them.

 

They're a good sales pitch, though! Schools would like them because they'd be neat, tidy and have a border round them keeping the messy veg in check.

We had some lovely ones installed a year ago, they are still sitting there, weed-strewn, with a forlorn sign saying "Site of new Eco veg plot".

Brilliant posting from Cacadores!

 

Lost me!

Aiming to give satisfaction, me.

 

Had my first prince's trust meeting today, It went well but their are no grants at the moment so the only way forward is to get myself into debt!

So what I think I will do is find a part time job for this year, Preferably one that involves gardening/planting! And in my spare time try and gain a portfolio type thing + experience. As I would rather save up and borrow less rather than take on a big debt.

My Grandma volunteers at the local community center, So I am going to try and volunteer there if they can get the funding. I want to fence off an area on the field the community center is on, and then speak to a local school and offer free classes for them to come down and help (via plastic bottle greenhouse, planting, designing etc.) to get photo evidence and evidence to eventually put on a website, If successful I could then offer my services to the schools.

Here lies my problem, I have been informed schools don't have the funding for this type of thing so how would I go about it? I thought today that maybe during school fairs I could sell products that the kids have helped to grow/make. E.g. hanging baskets, herb gardens etc. Also their is a possibility of a smoothie stand using the fresh produce grown at the school, These fairs could be the way I get money from helping schools? But what if the stalls are unsuccessful or produce isn't a successful harvest.

I have a lot of preparation and thinking to do but any tips you guys give are all taken on board and appreciated! So if you think I am heading in the wrong direction or have any tips you can offer then please do!

Thanks in advance! Chris

 

Actually, 'cos I was responsible for a GCSE curriculum, even though I was a new teacher, I sat down and analysed the GCSE coursework marking criteria once and realised you could understand them. So long as you accepted they made no sense. They are written with words designed to obstuficate by inflating their own presence: their very complexity is intended to command respect. They are designed to look good, nothing more. I met the head board examiner once and asked him what they meant. He told me, 'Come on, I can see you know what a 'C' grade is so just forget the criteria!'

Redbridge. Most of the little monsters' parents were Islamic and those who had one parent probably only had one on the birth certificate!

 

Aha!

 

I've never borrowed; I saved. I even bought my house without a mortgage. It will tie you down working to pay it back and make you scared to try new things. What you've got is time and energy. And a portfolio will be useful whatever you do.

I think that's a good idea. If you can get land, you could try to make and photograph some of these projects yourself for a blog, or with friends or relatives. People you know might not want to get involved with a long project but you could maybe convince them to help you with something for a couple of hours on a nice day if you combine it with a picnic or a trip to the pub.

Really? Have you asked your council's education dept directly? The next-door councils' education dept? Every possible school in your area? If so, then perhaps a self-promotion campaign is in order. When I decided to go it alone I phoned companies for four hours a day for three months to get work. Dispite getting 99 'nos' for every 'maybe' I got so much work I soon had to employ six other people. I reckon you could give it two weeks at least. You use the internet and phone directory to make a list of every phone number (or e-mail address but the phone is better) that could lead to funding or a job you want and blitz them. The idea is to have a short telephone speech ready and try get through to the head of the organisation if possible to try to get a meeting and take your portfolio or ideas.

You could try the council's environmental dept. Or environmental-type charities. Or any charity that puts on events for schools so as to get experience. Volunteering with the scouts might be the easiest way, especially if you find a troop with land.

Otherwise there are direct jobs, like this:
Seasonal Ranger
Organisation: Conkers
Location: Moira, Leicestershire
Hours: Part Time
Position type: Paid
Contract: Temporary
Closing date: Wed 13 March 13
Website: www.visitconkers.com
Contact name: Katie
Contact telephone: 01283216633
Contact email: [email protected]
This role involves delivering educational programmes to school groups aged between 3-15.
Must have excellent communication skills and able to work on own initiative once training is given. Will have to work in all weathers working within the 120 acre site.

The school will own the harvest.

You're asking people to take a chance on you and give you money or a chance or resources. So you've got to be very clear if you want people to have confidence in you.
So try this. Can you answer each of the following in a single sentence?
1) What do you want to do?
2) What will children get from your first project?
3) Why should an organisation give you funding (and not someone else)?
4) Are you very good at what you do?

Now I think that if you can truely convince yourself when you say the answers, then you should definately try for the funded work with children. If you can't, then you could work or volunteer for a year to get a portfolio together and then do it.

 

Another tip on the water bottle greenhouse idea. A neighbouring school seemed very pleased with theirs, so it may be a goer. You HAVE to build one yourself first, to have any idea of what it involves and you HAVE to get experience of managing and supervising groups of children. So start saving the bottles and sort out a group of kids to practise on, even if it's family.

Also, I notice foundation classes in our area are drinking milk every day in small, square plastic cartons, probably 250ml. So schools are awash with the detritus of this, if you could find something to build with them (cold frame?) it might be a clever move.