We are a core member of the Make Your Mark: Change Lives campaign, a drive to inspire young people to use their enterprising ideas for social and environmental change.

Year-round events and competitions are held to show 12 to 30-year-olds the potential of a career in social enterprise.

Read about what happened on Social Enterprise Day last year.

 

One Water Project 

This year, One Water and Make Your Mark have teamed up to launch the One Water Project for young people in the UK.

It's simple. Teams of young people (aged 14-19) will be challenged to come up with innovative and enterprising ways to sell One Water bottles. They could get them signed by a celebrity, or turn the bottle label into a piece of artwork, or sell them at school or at their parent's workplace.

The 3Ps

Through the project participants will be expected to consider the 3Ps

People

Teams and groups of young people will be encouraged to look at the impact that a lack of clean drinking water has upon young people in Africa. They will be asked to think about how they can use bottles of One Water to bring this to people's attention locally considering issues such as climate change, water sanitation and conservation.

Planet

Participants will need to come up with an innovative plan to re-use or recycle their One Water bottles to minimise damage to the planet. They will also be asked to consider how they will communicate this as well.

Profit

After costs have been deducted, profits made from the sale of One Water will be donated back to the One Water Foundation so that participants can see what a difference their local actions can make to those in need.

Get involved

Teams will be encouraged to sign up at the end of September and start the project on Social Enterprise Day (Thursday November 20, 2008) during Enterprise Week and Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Lesson plans will be provided, but if you have any questions in the meantime, please email chris@makeyourmark.org.uk

About One Water

Over a billion people worldwide live without easy access to clean water. Two million of them die every year. And, for many of the others, getting water involves a walk of up to five hours a day. Children who do this have no time to go to school, or learn a trade, or set up a business. This keeps them in a cycle of poverty.

One Water was set up to solve this problem. A social enterprise that sells water in the developed world, One Water uses 100% of its profits to build ‘PlayPumps' in Africa. These are playground roundabouts attached to water pumps - so when children play, the equipment pumps water from the ground into a giant tank. Children can go to school, play during their lunch break, and still take home enough clean water for their families. Find out more at: http://www.onedifference.org/

One is the ethical option for consumers that buy bottled water

Bottled water is not a replacement for tap water but an alternative that consumers choose for lifestyle reasons. Bottled water currently accounts for 16% of the UK's soft drinks industry and is a healthy alternative to carbonated beverages (42% of the market share).

One, the not for profit ethical bottled water brand, is not trying to expand the UK bottled water market and advises consumers to drink tap water where possible. However, One does urge buyers of bottled water to make a conscious decision about their brand allegiance and choose an ethical option where possible.

One gives individuals the opportunity to make an ethical choice when buying ‘on the go' bottled water but also provides ethical drinking alternatives for customers in the corporate, hotel, restaurant and leisure sectors with One branded versions of water filter machines and refillable bottles.