Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind

Blaithin sent in the following report about a voluntary organisation.

Name of Organisation:  Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind

 What services does the organisation provide?

They offer a comprehensive suite of services which enable both blind and vision impaired people and families of children with autism to achieve increased independence and an improved quality of life.

Who benefits from the organisation?

Blind and vision impaired people and families of children with autism

How is the organisation financed?  

85% of their income comes from fundraising and voluntary donations. 15% is provided through statutory bodies and government agencies. It costs over €4 million to run every year.

Is it run by volunteers/staff? What are their roles? 

The organisation is run by volunteers of all ages. They help in the breeding and raising of puppies right through to raising the funds in order to provide the services for people who are blind or vision impaired and for families of a child with autism.

How successful is the organisation?

The Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind has been very successful over the last 35 years. They breed all of their own dogs, working closely with the volunteer breeding stock holders to ensure the most successful outcomes. The guide dogs encourage an active social life, improve fitness and health, provide assistance in locating destinations and offers great companionship to the owners.

What does the day-to-day running of the organisation involve?

There are many stages involved in the training of dogs. Some of these include: preparation for puppy walking (at 6-8 weeks), puppy walking (at 8 weeks), early training (at 12 months for 3-5 months) , advanced training (at 16-18 months of age for 3 months) , matching and qualifying (at 2 years of age).

What is the organisation’s role in the community?

The Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind help people who are blind or visually impaired and the families of children with autism to achieve improved mobility and independence. The guide dogs help blind and visually impaired people by enhancing work opportunities, encourages an active social life, improves health and fitness, assists in location destinations and offers great companionship. The guide dogs help children with autism by improving participation in social activities, improving communication skills, and improves confidence and independence.

http://www.guidedogs.ie/iopen24/

Here's the link to find out how you can help http://www.guidedogs.ie/iopen24/-t-33.html 

Voluntary Organisations

Hey there.
Aoife here.
In lcvp, with MsMcM we are researching voluntary organisations; Nationally or internationally. Mine is based on a national organisation: Here it is!


Name of organisation:
Arthritis Ireland.

What services does the organisation provide?
They help those who suffer from arthritis, they give advice in how to cope with the arthritis, managing the pain and caring for a person who suffers with arthritis.


Who benefits from the organisation?
People who suffer or live with people who have arthritis, it allows them to learn how to cope with arthritis and living with it.


How is the organisation financed? Does it raise funds from voluntary contributions? How?
The organisation totally depends on public from donating money or fundraising to the organisation. They also receive grants, and money from sponsorship. They also receive money from people’s wills/requests and research funds that they have. With this money it’ll allow them to provide education to members of the public about this disease and try and find cures.


How successful is the organisation?
The organisation is very successful they are known nationally, and are trying to find ways to cure Arthritis


What does the day-to-day running of the organisation involve?
The day to day running of the organisation, the go around the country providing an education programme to help people effectively manage and control this devastating disease, they listen to those who have the disease and their voice is heard and understood, they also work with the medical community to control and cure arthritis.


What is the organisation’s role in the community?
They are trying to help those who suffer with arthritis, the organisation helps those who suffer with the disease try manage and control this disease. It also allows to teach people who know someone who have this disease, and how to cope with the difficulties that it will bring to the person’s life who has the disease and who is living with the disease.

7 Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs

One of the qualities of an entrepreneur is often that they are innovative. Steve Jobs was innovative and today we have Apple Computers.

7 Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs

Thinking like an entrepreneur

Thinking Like An Entrepreneur

View more presentations from Gian Fiero

How to take the minutes at a meeting

6th Year LCVP class have been planning a meeting to practice their skills. Emma found this video and shares it with us. Thanks Emma.

How to Take Minutes at a Business Meeting

No Jobs? These Mexican Immigrants Made Their Own

Meet the women of the Apple Eco-friendly Cleaning Cooperative.

Apple is a collective of five Mexican women living in New York City who got tired of working odd jobs and wanted more control of their careers. After meeting at a Brooklyn day laborer hiring site, where they would compete for cleaning jobs with dozens of other women, the quintet decided go into business for themselves, and formed an Limited Liability Company. 

They also began making their own cleaning products at home out of natural ingredients. The result is a less toxic home for their growing roster of clients and a safer cleaning day for the women themselves, who would sometimes get headaches from working for hours amid traditional chemical cleansers.

Source _ www.good.is

What were the reasons for these women setting up their own business?

What skills did / do these women have to become entrepreneurs?

What qualities of an entrepreneur did / do they have?

What steps are the women taking to ensure their business is a success?

Entrepreneur profile

Here is Blaithin's profile of Feargal Quinn - Superquinn

Feargal Quinn was born in Dublin on the 27th of November 1936. He was educated in Newbridge College, and is a commerce graduate of University College Dublin. He also learned the grocery trade in Lipton’s in the UK.

He grew up with a business background as his father ran the Red Island holiday camp in Skerries. This influenced Quinn to start up his own business. He opened up a new shop in Dundalk in 1959, at the age of 23. In 1960, Feargal Quinn founded a new business called ‘Quinns Supermarket’ in Dundalk. The trading name was later changed to ‘Superquinn’ in the late 1970’s.

In January 2005 it was announced that Superquinn was to be sold to a company called ‘Select Retail Holdings’.

In January 2009, the company made the decision to close the Dundalk store. This was the second time that Superquinn had failed in Dundalk, but in September 2010 a High Court order forced Superquinn to re-open in its home town again.

To date, Superquinn employs over 4,500 people in 23 locations nationwide.

Feragal Quinn shows a lot of qualities and characteristics of an entrepreneur. He is a risk taker as he continued to open up shops although his businesses in Dundalk were failing, he his highly motivated as he is still in the business trade and also has his on television show on RTE called “Fergal Quinn’s Retail Therapy”. He is also shows leadership as he took on the responsibility to run so many shops successfully.

Superquinn retail site here.

Senator Feargal Quinn - Independent Senator biography page here.

Feargal Quinn's Reatil Therapy at RTE

Entrepreneur profile

Here is Lauren's profile of Lily O Brien Chocolates founder Mary Ann O Brien 

Mary Ann O Brien - Lily O Briens chocolates

Background

Mary Ann was born in Tipperary.

She has one child named Lily and another who passed away after 18months called Jack.

She is also the co-founder of the ‘Jack and Jill’ foundation with her husband Jonathan Irwin, as well as ‘Lily O’Brien’s chocolates’

How she started her business.

When Mary was over in Africa she explored the hotel and found out what she loved doing. Cooking! For the 2weeks she was over there she helped (in her bikini) the owner’s daughter cook these chocolates in the small business she ran there.

When she arrived home she decided she would try and make the chocolates and sell them at her local hairdresser to see if she would get a positive feedback, and she did.

In 1992 Mary O’Brien had started up her business in her own kitchen in Newbridge, Co. Kildare and made her living from it

Mary tried to sell her chocolates at her local Superquinn and to her surprise she got an offer of a contract to sell her chocolates at the store! Mary leaped at this offer and set up her own business and borrowed money off the bank to help her do this.

Name of business

She run’s the successful Lily O’Brien’s Chocolates.

It is called Lily O’Brien after her daughter because Lily was born when Mary started up her business.

How many people do they employ?

Lily O’Brien employs over 100people and they make over 55-60tonnes per week!

Did she get help?

No, Mary Ann O’Brien started up her own business from at home. Starting to sell them at a hairdressers, venturing on to her local Superquinn and then it became a €16million-a year company, selling all over Europe including little travel boxes being sold on airplanes!

Entrepreneur profile

Here is Siobhan's profile of Niall Mellon

Niall Mellon -The Niall Mellon Township Trust.

Background-      Niall Mellon was born in 1967. He is from Ballyroan in county Dublin. When he finished school he joined his father’s investment brokerage. When he was 24 he set up his own mortgage company. His interests in the property and financial services soon grew. He had a great interest in buildings and property development and he carried out many different building projects in the United Kingdom.

The idea-             In 2002 while he was on holiday in South Africa he was appalled by the amount of shacks that he seen driving down the motor way. He went to see some of the townships on his visit and also met with some of the community leaders there. He decided that he wanted to do something about it because he believed that no human should live in a shack.

Not knowing if it was going to be a success or not he decided that he would take the risk and set up the “Niall Mellon Township Trust” where we would go to South Africa with volunteers and build houses for the people living in shacks.

His business-     His business is located in Tralee. He set up his charity using his own funds along with help and support from close family members and friends. The charity depends on volunteers to raise money and travel with him to South Africa each year to built houses. His company employs 104 full time staff and 28 community and site staff.

 Each year Niall Mellon along with many volunteers travel to South Africa for the “Building Blitz” As well as building house for the poor they also provide employment for local builders in South Africa by getting them to help them with the “Building Blitz” It also provides business for local companies that supply building materials as they source all their goods locally in South Africa.

Charity Work-   because of his great efforts with his charity work he has received praise from many people such as Nelson Mandela. He has also been awarded doctorate of Philosophy by D.I.T ad also a Doctor of Law by U.C.C. He has been given international honours for his efforts to encourage the spirit of volunteering.

Characteristics- Niall Mellon shows many different characteristics of an enterprising person such as being a risk taker, a leader, innovative, highly motivated and a very good communicator.

Here is a link to the Niall Mellon  Township Trust for more information.

“Absolutely Fabulous Florists” - SWOT analysis

Swot Analysis - “Absolutely Fabulous Florists”
by Tara

Strengths:

1. It is the only florists in Celbridge.
2. It has a good reputation.
3. It has a wide variety of flowers and products.
4. It has a good location.

 
Weaknesses:

1. It can be considered quite expensive.
2. A lot of people can’t afford to buy flowers because of the economic downfall.

 Opportunities:

1. To expand to other locations in the country.
2. To make deals with wedding planners, hotels etc., to provide flowers for events.

 Threats:

1. A lot of major supermarkets (eg.Tesco and LIDL) sell flowers now and for a cheaper price. So many people may decide to buy flowers there instead of a florists.

Thanks Tara

SWOT analysis template

A SWOT analysis measures a business unit, a proposition or an idea.

Here is a link to Businessballs.com site where you will download a SWOT analysis template.

Click the link below and the document will download to your computer

www.businessballs.com/freematerialsinword/free_SWOT_analysis_template.doc

Businessballs.com is run by Alan Chapman, in Leicester, England

Supervalu - a SWOT analysis

Swot Analysis - Supervalu Clane
by Elaine

Strengths:

1. Friendly staff.
2. Good products - cheap own brand products.
3. Good reputation.

Value for money.

1. Supervalu has won awards for it's store which indicates good management.
2. Loyal customers.
3. Location easy to get to.

Weaknesses:

1. Shelves not always stocked fully.
2. Can be difficult to find things in the store.

Opportunities:

1. New markets opening up with new housing estates that were being in recent years.
2. Expand branches in new housing estates or smaller villages and towns.
3. New products - convenience foods for today's society.
4. Experienced staff.

Threats:

1. Competition from similar stores especially large stores such as Tesco in Celbridge which is open 24 hours.
2. Economic downturn is affecting all businesses today.
3. Cost of finance for improvements or expansion, is getting more expensive in the economic downturn being experienced in Ireland.

Supervalue http://www.supervalu.ie/ is part of the Musgrave Group http://www.musgravegroup.com/en/index.php

Thanks Elaine

Halo Café - a SWOT analysis

SWOT Analysis - Halo Cafe

Strengths:

1. They have friendly staff.
2. The food is nicely presented.
3. The cafe is kept clean.

Weaknesses:

1. The cafe is very small in size.
2. Some of the meals sold there can be considered to be expensive.
3. It is a busy cafe so you can sometimes be waiting a long time to be served.

Opportunites:

1. They could open up a bigger cafe.
2. They could deliever food to more schools for lunches.
3. They might be able to win awards for their business or food.

Threats:

1. Bigger cafés or restaurants could become more popular.
2. They are not very well known so this could deprive them of business.
3. In today's economic climate the cost of some items could stop some people from returning.

Here is a link to Halo Cafe http://www.halocafe.ie/

Thanks Blaithin

The Orchard Garden Centre - a SWOT analysis

S.W.O.T Analysis. - The Orchard Celbridge.
by Siobhán

Strengths:

1. The Orchard has an excellent reputation for its wide range of products.
2. The Orchard has a wide range of products for both households and gardens.
3. The Orchard has a large task force with friendly and kind employees that are always more than happy to help.

Weaknesses:

1. The Orchard has some expensive products and some consumers cannot afford them in this economic climate.
2. They may need to raise capital for expansion but may not be able to due to the current economic downturn.

Opportunities:

1. The Orchard has the opportunity to provide more products for the consumers.
2. The Orchard can expand their facilities to make the garden centre bigger and better for the consumers.
3. The Orchard has experienced employees that know what has to be done to ensure that the business is kept running smoothly.

Threats:

1. Another garden centre that is bigger and better could open up in Celbridge or the surrounding area and cause competition.
2. The economic downfall may mean that prices will have to be increased and consumers will not be able to afford their products and they will not shop there.
3. Then the Orchard could lose money on goods that are not selling.
4. If employees do not have good customer care skills this would cause some customers to be unhappy about how they are being served.

Here is the link to the Orchard Garden Centre http://www.theorchard.ie/

Thanks Siobhan

Skills

Did you use any of these skills in your LCVP projects?

Organisational Skills

• Deciding on who does what
• Organising meetings
• How to come to making decisions
• Contacting people and organisations
• Setting up rooms for meetings
• Obtaining permissions etc
• Following up activities or events
• Preparing materials
• Making appointments

Research Skills

• Selecting topics and key issues
• Identifying sources of information and accessing them
• Reading and summarising information
• Organising material

Debating Skills

• Speaking
• Arranging your materials
• Identifying key arguments and points
• Being able to back up an argument
• Seeing many sides to an argument
• Being skilful with language

Communication Skills

• Oral communication
• Contacting and making arrangements with speakers and organisations
• Introducing and chairing meetings
• Summarising discussions
• Meeting and greeting people
• Briefing speakers
• Preparing and sending letters
• Presentation Skills for small and large groups

Team-working Skills

• Working in groups
• Allocating and agreeing tasks
• Group discussion skills
• Listening to and talking with others
• Dealing with debate and even disagreement
• Accountability to the group
• Taking responsibility and getting things done

Skills of Analysis

• Reading and understanding materials and arguments
• Thinking about arguments and viewpoints
• Identifying other views and judging them
• Finding and gathering as well as presenting facts and figures
• Preparing graphs and diagrams

Presentation Skills

• Public speaking to large or small groups
• Deciding on what to present and which arguments to use
• Structuring what you want to say
• Using visual materials to present your facts or arguments or those of others

Administrative Skills

• Writing
• Typing
• Filing
• Telephoning
• Making bookings
• Accounting for funds
• Keeping records

Health and safety at work

An Australian video called "The 10 Commandments of Workplace Safety" but it covers the basics of workplace safety.

On our work experience placement we will have to follow health and safety guidelines. Thanks to Janet for finding this short video

Practice job interview

Practice Example Tips On How to Ace Your Job Interview This year we will be doing a recorded interview for our LCVP Portfolio. I found this short video and think it might help us prepare for it.
Becky


Thanks to Becky for finding this video. Well done. Mrs L :)

Writing a C.V.

Suggestions for writing a C.V.

Interview tips

12 tips on how to do well in a job interview.

What is a Business Plan?

Writing a business plan creates a road map for the entire company.

Social entrepreneurs

Who are they? What they do? What they need? How can you support them?




Test yourself.........

Define a social Entrepreneur.

How is Social Entrepreneurship different than Regular Entrepreneurship?

Test yourself.........

Compare a Social Entrepreneur to a Business Entrepreneur.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate Social Responsibility at Pricewaterhouse Cooper




Test yourself.................

Identify four ways a business can be more socially responsible.

Corporate Social Responsibility

CSR at Intel

Bad practices in meetings

How to conduct a meeting

Problem Solving ideas

Young entrepreneurs

Could you start your own business at 10yrs and 13 yras of age?

Hear how these two young boys set up and run their own company, Donegal Pens.



Watch another interview they gave on This Morning on TV3

Visit their site Handmade Pens by Donegal Pens.

Swim A Mile plan

Here's our brainstorming session from class today so we can remember what we need to write our actions of the Action Plan.

Taking a photograph of the board helps when we are at home and writing up our reports.

Business plans

Entrepreneur develop Business Plans before they start their business.

Business Plan from Topics Education on Vimeo.