What are the experiences of young entrepreneurs in Wales?

Ø Youth Worker - 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 Person – 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 Worker - 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 Person - 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.

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

Ø Youth Worker - 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 Person – 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 Person - 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.

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

Ø Youth Worker - Self employment?

Ø Young Person – 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.

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

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

Ø Young Person - 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.

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

Ø Young Person - 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 Person - 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 Wale, more widely within the UK and internationally?

Ø Young Person - N/A