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YOUNG FACE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP SET TO NARROW THE DISADVANTAGE GAP
Drive and determination to run their own businesses has set a group of young , disadvantaged entrepreneurs on the road to an economic upturn for Wirral .
As the first graduates of the new Young Entrepreneurs Academy , 11 young people , all facing a multitude of personal barriers , have now achieved their business start-up goals – only a dream for them at the start of the project a year ago .
This new generation of business owners , spurred on by practical help and advice from existing business leaders and local entrepreneurs – those who have “ been there and done it ” to show them the realities of running a successful company – are today creating their own livelihoods in a variety of different business sectors .
The Young Entrepreneurs Academy , an initiative of Merseyside Community Training , a not-for-profit social enterprise with headquarters in Birkenhead , has been piloted on Wirral and was set up when the region was beginning to count the cost of the coronavirus pandemic , thousands of jobs being lost in a matter of months .
As well as turning business ambitions into reality , a major aim of the project is to help rebuild hard-hit communities on Wirral with a “ back-towork ” focus where disadvantaged young people can become self-sufficient so that , once they become established , are able to employ others and begin to turn the wheels of the local economy . The success of the initiative means that a second cohort of budding entrepreneurs will shortly begin the programme with a roll-out of the operation across the wider Liverpool City Region already in the pipeline .
Graduation certificates were presented by the Vice-Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside , Robert Owen , to the 11 new faces of entrepreneurship who are embarking on their start-ups of special effects make-up artistry , overnight mobile phone repairs , a beauty studio , a 3D visualisation company , online fast fashion , an aquatics and fish tank maintenance business and an ecologically-focused clothing exchange that prevents clothing from being sent to landfill . There ’ s also a web designer , personal trainer , climbing coach and an artisan jewellery designer .
After the ceremony , also attended by Wirral ’ s mayor and mayoress , Cllr and Mrs George Davies , Dionne Small , owner of the aquatics business , described how she was “ seriously proud ” of the achievements of herself and her fellow young entrepreneurs .
She said : “ Growing up with severe mental health issues , especially anxiety , I couldn ’ t picture myself ever having the confidence to pitch anything to anyone , never mind my own business . I ’ ve now smashed every goal I ’ ve set for myself this year and , for the first time in my life , I can wholeheartedly say I look forward to what the future has in store as opposed to being terrified at the sheer thought of it . Many thanks to Merseyside Community Training for giving me the means , the skills and the confidence to hit targets I never thought were within my reach .”
The Young Entrepreneurs story began when Merseyside businesswoman Sandra Kirkham and Jonathan Quinn , managing director at Wirral-based innovations specialist Quinnovations , last year set their shared belief in motion to narrow the education and employment gaps between the region ’ s disadvantaged and better-off young people .
After successfully pitching their entrepreneurial ideas to Sandra and Jonathan , the first group of budding entrepreneurs put in 25 hours a week developing their businesses , working in a hands-on environment at Merseyside Community Training ’ s headquarters in Campbeltown Road , Birkenhead .
Knowledge sharing among them all was also an integral part of the programme , each contributing to the others ’ skills with their own specialisms in IT , web design and marketing and , most importantly , planning what they could eventually “ give back ” to their local community – maybe by volunteering , charity fundraising or sharing work experiences .
Sandra Kirkham said : “ Many of these amazing young people , who are now on a firm path to running their own businesses , come from second or third generation of unemployed and are setting off on a journey to bring about change in their local communities . They are showing that it ’ s not where you ’ re from but where you ’ re going that ’ s important . From day one of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy , they have shown passion and commitment to their business start-up plans which will eventually lead to employment for others and a boost for the communities where they have been brought up and where they want to stay .”
Jonathan Quinn added : “ Our mission at the very start of this project was to turn the passion and enthusiasm shown by our young people for their business ideas into reality .
“ What we have seen is how they have grown in confidence and ability to totally believe in themselves – that they can succeed , not just as a business but as a force for good in their own communities .”
22 wirrallife . com