Young people show #FutureHull

Around 200 sixteen to eighteen year olds and their tutors from a range of post 16 educational programmes in Hull attended this inspirational day at Staff House at the University of Hull. As young people approach any transition point within their education it is vital that they are equipped with relevant information so they can make informed choices. For transition to post 16 and post 19 they need to be able to talk about their hopes and ambitions and to hear positive views from those around them. Taking part in Global Enterpreneurship Week enables young people to start exploring the skills they will need for their future; by listening to influential employers and mentors and working with others to explore and understand the information provided it will allow them to have a positive and beneficial experience which will assist them in making the right choice.

Inspiration was provided by a number of guest speakers who all gave personal reflections on their own unique journeys and the lessons that each had learnt from them. The highlight of which was international business guru Ruth Badger, who had featured prominently in the BBC Apprentice series. There were keynote addresses from three widely different local entrepreneurs. Hull’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 Amanda Hartley told the young people how she had realised her dream of opening a florists only a couple of years after leaving school, defying some people who said she was too young and that the business would not survive the recession. while Phil Benson of Xing Health spoke about the development of his business, including the initial impulse to set up following a visit to America and on to the present with their opening of a Xing shop in the heart of the Shambles in York and their new school programme, he also said they were now opening a Smoothie Bar in partnership with pupils from Winifred Holtby School that was sponsored by the John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank

The young people then moved from the theoretical to the practical, working in teams to complete the Badger’s Sett activity. Each team was set the challenge of coming up with a marketing concept for a product or service using an object placed on each group’s table as inspiration. Each group then had 45 minutes to come up with the name of the product, the retail cost and suitable marketing material, all of which had to be linked to the opportunities offered relating to renewables industry

They were then thrown into the Badger’s Sett, meaning they had to give a dynamic four -minute presentation to a panel of senior heads of local organisations. One person from each team was also allowed to make a one minute pitch to a video camera.

The Judges were:

1 Andrew Devenport Chief Executive of Youth Business International
2 Nick Sangwin Sangwins
3 Mike Pennington Publisher (MD) Mail News & Media
4 Jonathan Leafe MD Strawberry
5 Keith Madeley MBE Chairman of the Yorkshire Society
6 Kenton Robbins IoD Regional Director Yorkshire & Humberside
7 Ruth Badger
8 Sam Whitaker, CEO of Esteem

The Winning Teams

• First Prize £300 worth of vouchers donated by Hull Training went to Wilberforce College
• Second Prize £200 worth of vouchers donated by Hull Studio School went to Hull University
• Third Prize £150 worth of vouchers donated by Institute of Directors went to Franklin College
• Fourth Prize £100 worth of vouchers donated by KH Smilers went to Hull College
• Fifth Prize £100 worth of vouchers donated by Co-operative went to City Works
• Sixth Prize £100 worth of vouchers Chamber of Commerce went to Hull Training
• Video Pitch winner£100 worth of voucher sponsored by CityWorks went to £100 - Sirius Academy
• Evaluation winner £20 worth of vouchers donated by sponsored by CityWorks went to Laura from Hull College

Quotes

“I enjoyed the speech from Ruth Badger; she is vey inspiring and makes me want to start up my own business. To improve, maybe not put the speakers at the end because by then lots of people had left or lost interest, as a team we was pleased to win and I know that I am ready to run my own business and will turn my college project into one called Mosh News”
Kallum Green, Wilberforce College


“I told the young people how important they are – they are the next business generation. They need to believe in themselves and actually get out there and do something and they certainly showed their entrepreneurial skills when they faced the judges at this event just like in Wolverhampton where I was born & Manchester where I work, Hull should be proud of its young people as they are truly enterprising.”
Ruth Badger
International Business Consultant


“The young people’s imaginations when presenting their product ideas was great and they clearly thought through what they intended saying to the judges and were not going to be distracted in putting over their case.”
Blair Jacobs
Blair Jacobs Communications


“I’ve been involved in judging young people’s enterprise skills for a few years and Thursday’s event definitely matched the excellent standards set over the years. Much credit goes to the students themselves and also to their tutors for the creative, off-the-wall ideas and for their enthusiasm in presenting those ideas. Not easy to face a panel of judges but they did it with a confidence that bodes well for future entrepreneurship in the city. We should also be very proud of the organisers.”
Kenton Robbins IoD Regional Director Yorkshire & Humberside

Other Highlights

Pauline Davis Interim LEP Director gave a presentation titled Hull: What Can My City Offer Me? So the delegates were aware of the employment, business and skill training opportunities in the City.

Andrew Devenport Chief Executive of Youth Business International the national organisers of Global Entrepreneurship Week outlined the importance of the week as an integral part of the UK’s commitment to youth enterprise.

Throughout the event young people were encouraged to tweet using hash tags #GEWHULL #GEWUK and follow @GEWUK @HullsEnterprise @GEWHULL

It was announced that thanks to support from Hull Training in partnership with Jobcentre Plus and Cityworks it was possible for young entrepreneurs to get FREE access to hot desking facility in the Lee Creamer Youth Enterprise Suite at Kingston House.

A vibrant Networking Village with stands from a range of different supporters of youth enterprise in Hull.