Scoops kick-starts with teachers' training

The Scoops project for this year kick-starts tomorrow with a training seminar for teacher-managers. Ray Cassar, CEO of Apex, and Ray Borg, an artist by profession, will talk about entrepreneurship and the skills students can foster to start up their own business.

Entrepreneurship is a central theme in this year's project, explained Mary Rose Meli, Scoops' project executive. She said the opportunity to help students develop their business skills is already there. The turning point is for schools to exploit this opportunity by encouraging students to take up a venture through the Scoops programme. Thus the message which is being conveyed in schools - "Scoops helps you bring the power of student entrepreneurship to your school".

Well-known among secondary students, Scoops is a voluntary project aimed at students aged 12 to 15 attending state, private and Church schools.

Tomorrow's meeting for teachers marks an important first stage in the Scoops calendar. Once their schools decide to participate in the project, students are invited to form their own Scoop company, identify what products they will market and embark on a real business plan that will guide them throughout the whole year.

Scoops attracts around 30 schools every year. Students involved in the managing committee - composed of a president, secretary, treasurer, production manager, human resources manager and sales and marketing manager, all elected during the project's initial stage - get to meet each other for the first time in January for Vetrina Scoops. In March, the students are given the opportunity to meet and learn from people representing different cooperatives. In May, the Annual Scoops Fair is held in Valletta, where the students can sell their products.

The overall aim of the project is to equip students with the skills necessary to start up a new venture. The project offers a social and learning environment that boosts their personal and social skills and teaches them what it takes to succeed in the real world, and therefore empowers them to build a vision for their future. With the help of their teachers, these students are assisted to develop their commercial skills in producing and selling their own product.

Over the past 11 years, students have produced a wide range of products - from jewellery items and stained glass to wall clocks and food products - which is proof that the entrepreneurship skills in students just need to be kindled.

Scoops is a Cooperatives Board project and its main sponsor is HSBC Bank Malta plc. All Scoops events are sponsored by the Central Cooperatives Fund. The Scoops website www.scoops.org.mt is sponsored by Keyworld.

Tomorrow's training seminar for teacher-managers will be held at Dar il-Kooperativi, 105, Melita Street, Valletta, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Interested persons should phone 2144 1604 or 9989 4150, or send an e-mail to scoops@outlook.coop