What are the experiences of young entrepreneurs in Wales?

Ø Youth Workers - Lots of young people are interested in running social enterprise and/or have great ideas but not much direction or info on where to go for help. I think careers or employment services don’t push or support social enterprise enough or value it.

Ø Young Persons – I had not met any until I attended an Active Citizens Conference by UnLtd in January 2013.  As I join more networks I have access to more.

What is the scale of Welsh Government resource and funding targeted at the promotion of youth entrepreneurship?  Is it sufficient?

Ø Youth Workers - I didn’t know there was an actual pot of money that was only for supporting entrepreneurship. Young people definately don’t know about this.

Ø Young Persons - I had little knowledge of this, but I doubt a young person (or perhaps even an adult) would understand what the term “Social/Young Entrepreneur” even meant!  It’s a word in the lexicon of adults.

Ø Supporting Engagement in Education, Employment and Training Strategic Steering (Multi-Agency) group - The Youth Entrepreneurship Service, (YES)(Mentor and Business – post 16 commissioned service and Kasbah pre 16) are a new Key Partner in the post 16 programmes of engagement in RCT.

What progress has been made in implementing the Welsh Government’s Youth Entrepreneurship Strategy and Action Plan?

Ø Youth Workers - I have only received this from my head of service. Before that I didn’t know about it. Need more promo around this.

Ø Young Persons – I’m unaware of the plan, so cannot comment.  I have seen more advertising, but I think this has been the result of already being ‘in’ the group, so to speak.

How does the Welsh Government’s approach to promoting youth entrepreneurship incorporate issues such as equality, social enterprise and regional variations in skills and training opportunities?

Ø Young Persons - Social enterprise is in essence about community and personal problems – most projects I’ve seen that are social entrepreneurial are based on accessibility, equality etc.

Ø  Supporting Engagement in Education, Employment and Training Strategic Steering (Multi-Agency) group - Although the relationship, with YES,  is new it is suggested that the Young people will benefit from realistic and specialist Advice and Guidance in relation to building on their own strengths and interests and encourage engagement in Education, Employment and Training.

Ø Supporting Engagement in Education, Employment and Training Strategic Steering (Multi-Agency) group - It is anticipated that, as a result of the  commissioned involvement of YES, more targeted work around improving basic skills and confidence can take place.

Ø Supporting Engagement in Education, Employment and Training Strategic Steering (Multi-Agency) group - ‘We won’t be responding as a separate service.  Having said that, I’m totally in favour and think it would be fab if we could encourage social enterprise in our young people.’

What opportunities are presented by increasing youth entrepreneurships as a means of tackling youth unemployment and inactivity?

Ø Youth Workers - Self employment?

Ø Young Persons – Youth entrepreneurship is the greatest tool we have against unemployment.  Giving a person support, financial responsibility and a clear action plan that deals with an issue or area they care about teaches soft and hard core skills, employability and personal social development.

Ø Supporting Engagement in Education, Employment and Training Strategic Steering (Multi-Agency) group - RCT would aim to avail themselves of the service provided by YES over the next 3 years with a level of group pre- engagement and ongoing individual engagement to follow.

Ø Supporting Engagement in Education, Employment and Training Strategic Steering (Multi-Agency) group ‘….encouraging young people to be entrepreneurial is very important but it shouldn’t be seen as something that will be a quick fix to youth unemployment. Since most entrepreneurs sell either a skill they have that others need, or offer a service that needs to be bought, it is very important to ensure that young people receive a good education (vocational or otherwise) so that they have a product or skills to offer consumers as well as confidence in their ability to develop a business. There will always be the odd person who makes millions without ever having done well at school but most small business people have specific skills they’ve studied for – plumbing, electrical, catering, hair dressing etc. In terms of educational institutions it would be good to see them offer enterprise units alongside certain types of training so that young people can aspire to establishing their own businesses once they have the relevant qualifications and experience and offer access to business advice as part of these types of courses’.

To what extent is entrepreneurship embedded within secondary education, further education and higher education institutions in Wales?

Ø Youth Workers - Unaware of how much this is. Very little I have seen if it is.

Ø Young Persons - It’s non-existent. The Welsh Baccalaureate takes steps and holds some of the elements needed, but it’s very preliminary and had little affect on my own personal journey towards social entrepreneurship.

Ø Supporting Engagement in Education, Employment and Training Strategic Steering (Multi-Agency) group - ‘pretty uncoordinated, though there may be some coordination within schools that we are not aware of…..Our main link is currently with Unlimited.  We know some of the RCTCBC provision have come to us, and we have had to signpost RCTCBC staff to each other.. ‘

What is the evidence base for the Welsh Government’s approach to supporting and encouraging youth entrepreneurship?

Ø Young Persons - I don’t understand the question?  But UnLtd, O2 Think Big, Youth in Action, Fixers, any could provide solid evidence to its benefit.

How does the Welsh Government monitor and evaluate its youth entrepreneurship activities?  What impact has it had on the number of people starting a business?

Ø Young Persons - There’s very little publicity about social/youth entrepreneurship to business, perhaps more publicity would benefit it.

What examples of good practice in youth entrepreneurship policy can be identified within Wales, more widely within the UK and internationally?

Ø Young Persons - N/A

Ø Supporting Engagement in Education, Employment and Training Strategic Steering (Multi-Agency) group - ‘Business competitions can work well in promoting entrepreneurship and the WG’s Dynamo project did have some positive effects as young people can often be enthused by business people who speak to them about their own experiences’

Further comments

Supporting Engagement in Education, Employment and Training Strategic Steering (Multi-Agency) group - ‘Mentor a Business was one of the partners for Antur Teifi. They are a very good    organisation and have lots of experience in this sector and in providing business advice and support to young people so I am very glad that they are involved.’

Supporting Engagement in Education, Employment and Training Strategic Steering (Multi-Agency) group - 14-19 Learning Pathways are engaging with Kasbah