Tom and Lauren to lead group with young ideas (From Cotswold Journal)

Tom and Lauren to lead group with young ideas

11:58am Tuesday 2nd February 2010

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TWO members of the newly launched Young People’s Enterprise Partnership come from Worcestershire.

Lauren Thompson from Brook Street recruitment specialists of the Cross, Worcester, and student Tom Baker-Price from Kingsley College, Redditch, have been selected to drive forward a group that will become the voice of young people’s enterprise in the West Midlands.

Backed by the Young People’s Enterprise Centre of Expertise and Advantage West Midlands, the partnership will give some of the area’s brightest young talent the chance to speak up and influence future enterprise policy and strategy.

It will also look to urgently address some of the issues around rising youth unemployment, with an estimated 110,000 now without work – nearly 26 per cent of young people living in the West Midlands.

Furthermore, the region has seen the number of young Job Seeker Allowance claimants increase by 4.1 per cent in just over a year, the highest rise seen across the country.

Miss Thompson said: “It has never been more important to encourage young people to be enterprising, whether that is starting their own business, in education or in the development of their chosen career.

“Previously we have not had a vehicle to get across our thoughts, feedback and ideas. What the Enterprise Partnership gives us is a dedicated voice where we can influence policy, strategy and activities in the West Midlands.”

Members of the Young People’s Enterprise Partnership were selected following a series of interviews and chosen for their differing skill sets and backgrounds in the public, private and voluntary sectors.

The group will be meeting regularly to discuss existing trends, new policy recommendations and future opportunities.

It will also act as a critical friend to Business Link and be a driving force in the development of a groundbreaking web platform that will give young people a central online facility for advice, guidance and other useful tools.

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