Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
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Mark Prisk launches Global Entrepreneurship Week
Business Minister Mark Prisk today announced two new government initiatives to support young people gaining their first experiences of enterprise as he marked the start of Global Entrepreneurship Week at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
To support enterprise in schools Government is enhancing online resources for teachers at the Enterprise Village and promoting recruitment of 2,500 local enterprise champions through the Inspiring the Future website.
There will be renewed support from the Government for the Premier League Enterprise Academy, aimed at further promoting and extending this successful project to 26 past and present Premier League clubs.
Also launched today are two new services at www.businesslink.gov.uk consisting of:
· My New Business, a comprehensive start-up servicewhichprovides businesses with support and guidance on how to set up a new business;
· The Growth and Improvement Service, which is designed to be the first place to go to access essential information, support and services for businesses.
Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk said:
“Up and down the country, dynamic, innovative entrepreneurs are creating jobs and driving sustainable economic growth. It is vital that we do all we can to help them realise their ambitions and transform the economies of their communities.
“Last year there were more than 40,000 events across some 104 countries, engaging over ten million participants. We know that events like Global Entrepreneurship Week can transform people’s appetite for enterprise.
“We want to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs which will help to connect people, share ideas and help people develop the knowledge and confidence they need to pursue their dreams.”
The Inspiring the Future website, coordinated by the Education and Employers Taskforce, recruits people from all sectors and professions to volunteer in schools and colleges, providing activities from mentoring to work experience.
The Premier League Enterprise Academy provides 11 to 19-year-olds with advice and enterprise activities, introducing them to business and self-employment. It is currently available through 18 past and present Premier League clubs.
The 1800 events this week are Britain’s contribution to Global Entrepreneurship Week, which sees 40,000 events across 104 countries involving some ten million would-be entrepreneurs.
This follows the Government’s announcement last week of a series of new measures to help Britain’s small and medium enterprises, including investment through the Regional Growth Fund, support for exporters and the new Finance Fitness campaign.
Other events taking during Global Entrepreneurship Week include:
The National Consortium of University Entrepreneurs hosting an event with Mark Prisk at London Southbank University on Tuesday 15 November to support the creation of student enterprise societies.
Mark Prisk and Baroness Wilcox at the British Library on Wednesday to support business mentoring, with a focus on promoting mentoring for women. The new mentoring web portal www.mentorsme.co.uk provides a single point of access for those seeking mentoring and those seeking to be mentors, throughout the UK.
The Royal British Legion hosting an event on Thursday to support the Be the Boss scheme for ex-service personnel. The initiative offers business start-up training, grants and loans up to £30,000 as well as mentoring. Funded by BIS and delivered by the Royal British Legion (RBL), the scheme has attracted over 1,000 registrations.
Notes to editors:
1. The new BusinessLink services can be accessed at www.businesslink.gov.uk/newservices
2. BIS's online newsroom contains the latest press notices, speeches, as well as video and images for download. It also features an up to date list of BIS press office contacts. See http://www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom for more information.
Contacts:
BIS Press Office
NDS.BIS@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Alex. Hamilton
Phone: 020 7215 5976
Alex.Hamilton@bis.gsi.gov.uk
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