Dudley News

Borough youth project clinches excellence award

3:56pm Thursday 29th July 2010

A project set up to tackle youth unemployment across in Dudley by inspiring young people to be their own boss has won a prestigious enterprise award.

The Young People’s Enterprise Centre of Expertise (YPECOE) was set up to increase awareness of self-employment among 16-24-year-olds.

Youth unemployment is at its highest level since official records began and the West Midlands but despite this YPECOE has been crowned the most enterprising project in the West Midlands in the Enterprising Britain competition.

The project will now compete for the national title to be crowned the best in the country.

YPECOE created the www.thinkenterprise.org, which provides a specialist, single gateway for under 25s looking to develop business ideas, start up in business or grow an existing company.

And it also established the first Young People’s Enterprise Partnership, a 15-strong mix of young entrepreneurs and students to provide a voice for the region’s brightest emerging talent.

And the 3% Campaign, launched in June with Business Voice West Midlands, is aiming to create up to 5,000 new young entrepreneurs by providing business mentors, encouraging greater access to investment and addressing the possibility of launching special enterprise apprenticeships.

Louise Bennett, patron of YPECOE, said: “Youth unemployment is one of the major issues facing the Black Country with an estimated 110,000 now without work – nearly 26% of young people in the area.

“Of course, these are just statistics but the real picture is one of low employment prospects for young people leaving school, college or university which means we need to look at some innovative ways of creating jobs. Self-employment is often overlooked as a career path for young people.”

She added: “I believe the work YPECOE and the Young People’s Enterprise Partnership is doing to engage young people, develop opportunities and raise awareness of the possibilities of enterprise is making a real difference.

“Winning Enterprising Britain for the West Midlands is an achievement we are very proud of and we are delighted to be recognised for our collective efforts.”

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