FAMILIES living in Gateshead are to benefit from a new scheme that will help them learn how to set up their own business.
Enterprise education provider Young Enterprise won a contract with Gateshead Council to deliver its new programme, named “Enterprising Families”, to people in the borough.
The programme aims to get 30 families involved in a five-day project which will encourage them to think about self-employment, develop enterprise skills and start up their own family business.
Young Enterprise has completed its first delivery of the programme with year 12 students from Emmanuel College in Gateshead, who took part in a one-day start-up masterclass.
The students then worked with Year 10 pupils to make a variety of products, including T-shirts, bags, bird boxes, and slate name plates.
Emmanuel College teacher Steve Robson said: “The students have really enjoyed working with their families on new business concepts.
“This is a great programme which really shows how, by working as a team, whether that’s in family groups or other, creating a business is more achievable than they think.
“It is important to do more practical sessions like this with other young people and their families across the North East, to ignite that passion for business and help the region get back on its feet.”
Young Enterprise director Catherine Marchant said: “We are thrilled to have won the contract to deliver our new Enterprising Families programme with Gateshead Council.
“The new programme takes students and their families on an engaging journey through the principles of setting up a modern business. They learn about job roles, self-employment, money matters and the decisions that families make about spending and saving.
“Let’s hope that they all take the information on board and we generate many successful new start-ups to help to fuel economic prosperity.”
The Inspire Gateshead project is part financed by the European Union’s ERDF Competitiveness Programme 2007-13, securing £500,675 ERDF investment through regional development agency One North East.
The ERDF Programme is bringing over £300m into the North East to support innovation, enterprise and business support across the region.