Find out how Hull are supporting young people to make their ideas happen

EnterpriseUpfront highlights the Hull Youth Enterprise Bank (YEB) which was established by Mr Charles Cracknell one of this year’s recipients of The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion 2009. 

Charles Cracknell is the Employment and Youth Enterprise Manager for Hull City Council and has responsibilities which include: all activity relating to supporting Hull’s enterprising young people; the Hull Enterprise Partnership; and the Youth Enterprise Bank.

The John Cracknell Youth Enterprise Bank is for young people aged up to and including 19 years old. It offers grants of up to £1,000 for individuals or groups of young people who need finance to help make their idea happen. (More funding is considered in exceptional circumstances).

The YEB is an example of top-down and bottom-up approaches combining to form a successful project. An identified need for the YEB came from Charles and the Youth Council who were looking at different funding opportunities to support young people in all areas of activity not just enterprise. Local Enterprise Growth Initiative research also identified a specific funding need for young entrepreneurs or those with an enterprising idea. The YEB is not just about giving financial support it also offers practical help to develop business ideas. The YEB works closely with the team at the city’s Youth Enterprise Centre a one-stop shop enterprise drop-in facility based at the BeSPoKe Centre in Bransholme.

The Youth Enterprise Bank is managed by a group of trustees, chaired by Maureen Foers OBE with 12 trustees from a range of private public and voluntary sector organisations in the city and links into the city’s Acorn Fund, the Princes Trust and the Hull Youth Enterprise Partnership.

The total Youth Bank expenditure from 13 October 2003 to 14 April 2009 is £133,527.21 and has supported buying items such as: Computers, Business Stationery, Websites, Photography Equipment, Bicycle Repair Equipment, Chocolate Making Equipment, Dance costumes for local bands, Hairdressing equipment for mobile hairdressers and many more. 

The number of young people given awards are: Young Entrepreneurs 139, Social Enterprise Projects 12, and Young Enterprise Projects 7.

Visit www.youthenterprise.co.uk to find out more about the Youth Enterprise Bank.

A full list of recipients for The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion is available from www.queensawards.org.uk/individual/Home.html