1st Newsletter: November 2009 Edition

SIFE Liverpool
Learn. Develop. Inspire. Impact
The Vision
The aim of SIFE Liverpool is to become a student-led business
at the heart of the University of Liverpool Management
School, to develop World-Class SIFE projects, to inspire the
community and impact the world.
Projects: 12

“Leadership is the
Our Mission
capacity to translate a
Learn To become leaders

vision into reality.” and role models

-Warren G. Bennis Develop World-Class SIFE

Projects
SIFE is a programme designed to develop the business leaders
of tomorrow. Not only do students run educational outreach
Inspire Others to create
projects to impact the community and transform people’s economic opportunity
lives, but they also gain a competitive edge through this
experience. Throughout their entrepreneurial journey students Impact Communities on a local
gain an invaluable set of skills such as leadership, project and international scale
management, communication, presentation and team-working
skills. They use their knowledge acquired in classes and apply Brand The excellence nurtured
by the University of
them to real world challenges. Students represent their
Liverpool
University and compete at SIFE National Competitions. The
National Champions move on to represent their country at the
SIFE World Cup.

Here at the University of Liverpool, SIFE Liverpool projects

range from assisting struggling businesses in deprived areas of
Liverpool, to inspiring entrepreneurship in sixth form students,
to addressing a detrimental issue of water contamination in
South Africa.
Continued on Page 3

SIFE Liverpool is currently mobilising 100

members and running 12 projects from which 3
are international in South Africa, India and China.
 SIFE Liverpool 1st Newsletter: November 2009 Edition

Students In Free Enterprise.

SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) is a global network of
academic leaders, business executives and university
students joining forces to create better economic
opportunities for our communities. SIFE runs in 1,600
universities across 41 countries around the world. Students
run educational outreach projects with the aim to hit the
SIFE Criteria of:

 Entrepreneurship
 Financial Literacy
 Market Economics
 Personal Success Skills
 Environmental Sustainability
 Business Ethics
Last year SIFE Liverpool made it to the Semi-Final Round of
the SIFE UK National Competition held in Canary Wharf,
London. Their strategy this year is to assemble a dynamic
team of diverse individuals, skills and experiences. It will be
the first time that SIFE Liverpool will merge a series of
Undergraduates and Postgraduates, particularly MBA and
PhD students. As the young entrepreneurs have already
formed their student Board of Directors and started to
operate, the march to the Finals of the SIFE UK National
Competition has begun.
“Our SIFE Liverpool story”
2007 was the start of a new
generation for SIFE Liverpool. The
team has grown from strength to
strength in all areas of its student-led
organisation. With 11 members in
2007 running 2 projects, to 45
members in 2008 running 5 projects,
and today 100 members running 12
projects from which 3 are international
in South Africa, India and China; these
young entrepreneurs have
demonstrated formidable leadership
capacity. SIFE Liverpool plans to play
an active role in the regeneration of
the 2008 European Capital of Culture
– City of Liverpool

SIFE Liverpool Opening

This year’s SIFE Opening was a spectacular
event organised here at the University of
Liverpool Management School in Seminar
Room 5.
“It was the biggest SIFE Opening in the UK
this year!” –Josephine Blundy, SIFE UK
Operations Director
SIFE Liverpool is back again, and this time even bigger
and better. This year’s SIFE Liverpool Opening marked
the start of a new era for this strong united team. As
this student-led organisation held their annual warm
welcome to new recruits at the University of Liverpool
Management School on Thursday 8th October 2009.
Over a 150 students, staff and local business advisors
filled the venue. SIFE Liverpool had spread its culture
once again. Guest Speakers such as the University of
Liverpool’s Enterprise Champion, SIFE UK Operations
Director, and the Careers & Employability Service
Deputy Director, all attended to express their
unconditional support.
22
 SIFE Liverpool
“Establishing World-
Class projects with SIFE
Liverpool.”
–Gustavo Paz, Project Director
Seaforth Village
This project will address a real need here in our
city of Liverpool. Seaforth Village is a
neighbourhood that has suffered from three to
four generations of unemployment. There are
relatively low levels of educational attainment
and work related skills; literacy and numeracy
levels are particularly low. However, SIFE
Liverpool is in the process of developing
several projects that will help these individuals
overcome these harsh obstacles and become
leaders in their life.
“I think that Seaforth is at a tipping point and
that good outcomes can be achieved.”
-Laurence Gardener, Parent Advocates
Together
South Africa Water Project
In South Africa there have been constant
recurring issues of water contamination.
Particularly in deprived areas of the country
located in Cape Town, some civilians do not
have access to clean water and some do not
even have electricity in their homes. The goal
of SIFE Liverpool is to give them the personal
success skills and the entrepreneurial flair they
need to improve their standard of living.
“SIFE Liverpool is dedicated to providing real
life solutions to real life problems. Our goal is
to impact people and transform their lives.”
-Nishat Patankar, Vice President
3
1st Newsletter: November 2009 Edition
“This is our vision, this is
our reality.”
-Yannick Kpodar,
SIFE President
The aim of this project is to
teach these individuals how to purify water
allowing them to save their money for other
expenses. SIFE Liverpool ultimately aims to
teach them how to bottle the water and help
them start up a social enterprise to make
money for their family and their community.
With the sustainable support of key local
businesses in South Africa, an environmental
research student in Washington D.C, and our
SIFE Liverpool team, this project has set up a
strong foundation and network to address the
needs of these individuals in Cape Town. The
young entrepreneurs plan to have their first
trip in South Africa in early February.
China Link
This year SIFE Liverpool has formed a
Cooperation Agreement with our partnering
University XJTLU in China. XJTLU have recently
formed a SIFE team and the two organisations
have agreed to run several mutual projects,
support each other and strengthen the bond
between both our Universities through the
“SIFE Programme.” This will be the start of an
international collaboration of student
entrepreneurs between our two campuses.
SIFE Liverpool 1st Newsletter: November Edition

SIFE Liverpool Board of

Directors 2009-2010
This year SIFE Liverpool plans to be established as
a Social Enterprise at the very heart of the
Management School. The “SIFE Programme” will
give the opportunity to give work placements to
students in different years and degrees. Every
single member will be interviewed and a
recruitment strategy will be focused on
At their first Board meeting held at the
assembling a dynamic synergy of Undergraduates Management School in Seminar Room 3, the
and Postgraduates. young entrepreneurs tactically planned out
their strategy for the year incorporating
With a strong Board of Directors structure and a recruitment, marketing, financing,
support from the Management School, SIFE operations and business sustainability.
Liverpool plans to become a sustainable business “ The key to our success will be
that spreads throughout the entire University. communication ” – Alexis Forget, HR
Manager

Special Thanks to:

SIFE President: Yannick Kpodar University Advisor: Claire Hookham -Williams
SIFE Vice President: Nishat Patankar Management School Director: Murray Dalziel

SIFE Liverpool
University of Liverpool

Managem ent School

ww w .sifeuk.org

w ww .sife.org

Learn. Develop. Inspire. Impact

If you want to join, advise, or sponsor SIFE Liverpool please
contact us at info@sifeliverpool.org