Young People’s Enterprise Partnership set to tackle youth unemployment

The West Midlands has gained a noticeable UK first after the Young People’s Enterprise Partnership was officially launched.

A 12-strong mix of entrepreneurs, business support specialists and students (all aged between 16-27 years-old) have been selected to drive forward a group that will become the voice of Young People’s Enterprise in the region.

Backed by the Young People’s Enterprise Centre of Expertise (YPECOE) and Advantage West Midlands, the Partnership will give some of the area’s brightest young talent the chance to speak up and influence future enterprise policy and strategy.

It will also look to urgently address some of the issues around rising youth unemployment, with an estimated 110,000 now without work – nearly 26% of young people living in the West Midlands.

Furthermore, the region has seen the number of young Job Seeker Allowance claimants increase by 4.1% in just over a year, the highest rise seen across the UK.

Emma Kemshall (24), Business Support Adviser at Walsall Endeavours CIC, has been chosen to chair the Partnership and is excited about its potential:

“It has never been more important to encourage young people to be enterprising, whether that is starting their own business, in education or in the development of their chosen career.

“Previously we have not had a vehicle to get across our thoughts, feedback and ideas. What the Enterprise Partnership gives us is a dedicated voice where we can influence policy, strategy and activities in the West Midlands.”

She continued: “In a recent survey, 22% of under 25s think they’ll be in business or self-employed within five years and our job will be to ensure that the support mechanisms are ‘young people’ friendly so these aspirations can be fulfilled. We want to create a buzz about enterprise.”

Members of the Young People’s Enterprise Partnership were selected following a series of interviews and chosen for their differing skill sets and backgrounds in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

The group, which features a television presenter, a bus company MD and two gold-accredited SFEDI advisers, will meet regularly to discuss existing trends, new policy recommendations and future opportunities.

It will also act as a critical friend to Business Link and be a driving force in the development of a groundbreaking web platform that will give young people a central online facility for advice, guidance and other useful tools.

Jackie Brierton, Director of YPECOE, is relishing the potential of the new group:

“This has never been done anywhere in the UK so we are delighted that the West Midlands has had the vision and determination to create such a hugely important group.

“Having interviewed our new members I can safely say that we have a diverse range of talented young people who are keen to have their ‘say’ on how we can beat rising unemployment and encourage more individuals into starting new businesses.

“We have twelve young people at present, yet there is room for a further three if anybody else is interested in joining the group.”

Peter Henderson, Member of the Advantage West Midlands Enterprise Board, added his support:

“Developing the skills and talent of young people in the West Midlands is critical to the future economic growth of the region. The Young People’s Enterprise Partnership will provide us with invaluable assistance in how we can encourage and assist more young people to consider enterprise and self-employment.’
The Young People’s Enterprise Partnership is made up of:

• Emma Kemshall (Chair and  Enterprise Adviser at Walsall Endeavours CIC)
• Geoff Cross (Deputy Chair and MD of Central Buses)
• Tom Baker-Price (Student at Kingsley College)
• Kallum Bell (MD of Good Links)
• Rachel Carter (Director at Fullrange Films)
• Katie Durkin (Enterprise Adviser at Walsall Endeavours)
• Andrew Hitchings (Entrepreneur and Geography student at Birmingham University)
• Kathryn Holloway (MD of Promofix)
• Stan Karpenko (Synergy Birmingham)
• Shivani Mair (MD of Creative by Nature/ the Careers Surgery)
• Kelly Potter (Business Link West Midlands)
• Lauren Thompson (Recruitment Adviser at Brook Street)