Ipswich Borough Council helps budding young entrepreneurs

Published31st August 2021

Ipswich Borough Council has provided funding to Business Growth Coaches Network (BGCN) to run a Youth Entrepreneur programme for young people not in employment, education or training.

BGCN will offer a 2 week - 20 session Introduction to Running a Business programme for 24 young people aged 16-24. Each of the 20, two-hour sessions will focus on 1 area of running a business such as: Why run your own Business; Creating a business plan; Accountancy – General principles, Tax, company Structures; Business Development - Customer and Competitor research; Business Governance – Risk, Legal and Compliance; and, Marketing – Digital, PR and Customer Profile.

BGCN is one of five organisations Ipswich Borough Council has appointed to deliver a wide-ranging Youth Employment Programme. This new programme builds on work undertaken on an initial programme during 2019 to 2020.

The Youth Employment Programme focusses on young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs) and has been developed in collaboration with Suffolk County Council. It is funded by the County and Suffolk Public Sector Leaders.

Says Cllr David Ellesmere, Leader of Ipswich Borough Council,

“I’m very pleased that this further part of our Youth Employment Programme will help equip young people to move from not currently being in work, education or training by helping them to start their own business.

This course from Business Growth Coaches Network will give these young people a comprehensive grounding across the various skills needed to move into self-employment. I look forward, in time, to new Ipswich-based businesses arising from this initiative."

Says Wendy Richards, Marketing Director BGCN,

“We are really excited to get started on the programme and meeting all of the students.  We look forward to equipping this group of young people to be able to achieve their potential in all areas of their lives, to achieve their dreams and be the best version of themselves that they can be. “