A small North East school of less than 30 students is now taking drone photos for farmers as one of many outcomes from a program run by the Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship.
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Twenty schools have been involved in a program where they develop a business idea, and the Myrrhee School group decided there was a need for ‘country drone photos’.
They have been trained up to use the device, purchased by the school, and charge a small fee for photos to be taken – donating proceeds to the Carevan Foundation.
Myrrhee Primary and others that have taken part in the social enterprise schools initiative had their products on display at the old Beechworth goal, ACRE’s headquarters.
Chief executive Matt Pfahlert said it was the third year for the program, which is in 900 schools in Scotland and is expanding to all schools there.
“They work out a way to identify what is a social cause they collectively care about, and then once it’s agreed, work out goods or services they can provide,” he said.
“The idea is for the businesses to continue and as the next class comes through, they could keep it running, change it or start a new one.
“A lot are food related, as many schools have kitchens, there’s plant-making, fertiliser being made ... it’s really varied.
“Off the back of an evaluation, with five of the schools and world experts we’re connecting up this program with the curriculum.
“That means we can seriously look at how it expands across Victoria and southern NSW.”
Mr Pfahlert said ACRE had signed an agreement with Scotland’s Social Enterprise Academy in Edinburgh last month.
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“The organisation is now expanding its services and range across 11 counties and we’re the first country they’ve signed a long-term commitment with,” he said.
“We have a 20-year agreement with them to be starting this stuff here in Australia, beginning with North East Victoria.
“Our ambition is to take the schools program Australia-wide and every young person in Australia learning the enterprise skills they need to navigate a 21st century career.”
There are now nine full-time tenants that rent a space off ACRE at the goal, and renovations are underway to the turnkey’s quarters to provide a co-working space for more businesses.