Brett Centre for Entrepreneurship hosts London Workshop on Influencing Youth Entrepreneurship Policy

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London Workshop on Influencing Youth Entrepreneurship Policy

The Brett Centre for Entrepreneurship held the second of its one-day workshops in London bringing together key academics and practitioners to discuss how policy can be improved to help youth entrepreneurship on Wednesday 31 May 2023.

Professor Mark Hart, Aston University opened the proceedings on global trends, explaining an ‘intentions gaps’ between the aspirations of young people and the outcomes.

This was followed with presentations on the effectiveness of enterprise competitions delivered by Dr Catherine Brentnall from Sheffield Hallam University, Entrepreneurship as Social Innovation, Dr Rick Parkes from Rinova Ltd, Using Digital Engagement to Build a More Inclusive University Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, Professor Simon Mosey, the University of Nottingham and Insights and Implications from Global Youth Entrepreneurship Practice, and Anita Tiessen, Youth Business International.

The workshop presentations stimulated discussion and debate, with additional insights and contributions from delegates.

Professor Robert Blackburn, Director of the Brett Centre for Entrepreneurship, explained: "We are delighted to see how much attention the workshops are receiving – it is brilliant to be able to listen to the contemporary experiences of young people, support agencies and organisations, as well as leading academics.

"We are building a picture of the contemporary issues facing young people in the labour market, how entrepreneurship fits within their world and the implications for more effective policy interventions."

The third and final workshop will be held at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris in July. Collectively, the proceedings will be drawn upon to develop a paper on Youth Entrepreneurship Policy, which will be published through the OECD to stimulate further thinking and raise levels of knowledge and exercise influence amongst policymakers.