What is Enactus?
Enactus is a unique global organisation which brings together student, academic and business leaders to use entrepreneurial action to improve the quality of life and standard of living for people in need.
What makes Enactus unique is that it is student-led but guided by academic advisors and business experts. The student leaders work to create and implement community empowerment projects around the globe.
These projects not only transform lives, but help the students develop the kind of talent and perspective that are essential for leadership.
The organisation was founded in the US in 1975 and has been expanding around the globe since.
Enactus in Ireland
In 2011, KPMG led the charge of getting Enactus established in Ireland as there was no programme here dedicated to promoting social awareness and social entrepreneurship at third level. The initial steps saw KPMG hosting a breakfast for business people to help enlist support for the concept.
The main barrier was the fact that Enactus would have significant operating costs in its first year of operation in Ireland and naturally couldn’t establish here without a firm guarantee that those costs would be met. KPMG decided to take a leap of faith and fund the first year’s costs to kick start the organisation in Ireland.
Other companies such as Bank of Ireland, Abbott, Aer Lingus, AIG, CarTrawler, Citi Foundation, Enterprise Rent- A-Car, KBC Bank, MERC Partners, New Ireland Assurance, The Ireland Funds, Unilever, Havas and HSBC also came on board as partners. Enactus Ireland is also supported by Chartered Accountants Ireland and The Irish Times.
Enactus National Competition
The Enactus Ireland National Competition took place on 2 June in the Chartered Accountants Ireland House in Dublin. This was an opportunity for Enactus students from across the country to gather and showcase the impact of their projects which were judged by a collection of Ireland’s top business leaders. UCC were crowned the Enactus Ireland National Champion and will go on to represent Ireland at the Enactus World Cup taking place in Puerto Rico this September. National Champion teams from around the world will compete to become the Enactus World Champion and receive $50,000 USD in prize money.
Project aim
The aim of Enactus is to challenge students to identify social issues and people in need in their communities and develop a business idea to address an issue. It can be homelessness, addiction, unemployment, the environment, educational disadvantage or almost anything. The students have to identify a need or a group that they can help with and develop a response to the issue that will have a lasting and sustainable impact.
This benefits both society and the students. Enactus is developing future leaders by helping them make the move from academic theory to practice and giving them a greater understanding of their community. Enactus challenges them to move away from the comfort of the third level institutions and to understand other people’s lives and issues.
Enactus World Cup
The National Champion team qualifies for the annual prestigious Enactus World Cup which took place in Puerto Rico this year. Well done to the UCC Enactus Team representing Ireland who reached the semi-finals. KPMG also provides a bursary programme to travel to the World Cup for students from each third level institution that didn’t win and to University Faculty Advisors.
