SECRET Millionaire Caroline Marsh believes a money-making project has been the first step towards unlocking young people’s potential.

The Make Your Mark with a Tenner scheme, financed by Enterprise UK, ran throughout March giving children in Swindon’s secondary and primary schools the chance to see how much money they could make from a £10 note.

This spawned the I Belong to Swindon programme involving pupils at seven primary schools who pooled their money into a grander community scheme.

It made £24,400 in a mixture of cash and promises in kind.

Mrs Marsh, who launched the scheme in March and was closely involved with it throughout, said: “It really exceeded my expectations.

“I didn’t know the impact it would have on this town, the young people and the excitement it brought.”

Pupils from Commonweal School, St Joseph’s Catholic College, the Swindon Academy and Bradon Forest School, in Purton, as well as the Epic Youth Ministry all signed up for the scheme which has been running for three years.

Typical activities in the secondary schools included car washes, designing and decorating sports shoes, and making bracelets and creative accessories such as pillowcases and cushions.

The month also included visits from local businesses who gave their advice to pupils on how to run a successful money-making campaign.

Mrs Marsh, who featured on the Channel 4 programme Secret Millionaire in February 2009, said she was impressed by the I Belong to Swindon scheme devised by Drove Primary School headteacher Nick Capstick.

Mr Capstick formed a corporation of schools, including Even Swindon Primary, Gorse Hill Infant, Tregoze Primary, Moredon Primary, Rodbourne Cheney Primary and Wroughton Infants, and every child invested the £10 they were given by the Make Your Mark scheme.

Responsibilities for the I Belong to Swindon corporation were then divided between the schools for the launch of a social capital credit card that rewards pupils for good work they do in their area.

Those behind Enterprise UK highlighted Swindon’s system as one that could be replicated elsewhere next year.

Mrs Marsh said: “The schools got together and came up with the idea of how can we have an impact on our local community in giving back, but also how can we make money because if you can’t make money you can’t make a difference.

“They have acquired business skills and in giving back to the community are trying to build bridges.”

Mrs Marsh said that she believed you are never too young to learn about the world of business.

She said: “You have to be programmed to think a certain way.

“Children almost feel they’re limited in what they can do.

“It’s teaching them the skills of enterprise and saying you have got the potential, you have got the skills.

“You’re thinking beyond the box put in front of you.

“Experience is almost the best teacher.

“It’s the confidence and self-belief, it’s raised their aspirations, suddenly they’re thinking I can do it, I did it, it’s created a buzz within their community, in their own schools.”