We are committed to providing a wide range of educational activities which aim to offer young people an opportunity to showcase and develop their skills and talents. Through our diverse partner collaboration, past and current activities include mentoring, workshops, networking events, taster days and work experience, all aimed at UK youths from disadvantaged backgrounds.

‘There are 16 -19 year old micro business owners who are running our youth culture from their bedrooms. Business should work with young people to channel their energies into creating their own enterprise. They must challenge the attitudes and self-perceptions which cause young people to feel that the business world is inaccessible and make them believe that they will be given the opportunity to prove what they can do’

Craig Cordice, Creative Director, One Spare Chair (Race for Opportunity - Newcomers Starter Pack June 2005)

Dear Theresa May:
Banning hoods and criminalising toddlers is not the answer
Joy White, Director, One Spare Chair Training (October 2011)

Enterprise and entrepreneurship are key drivers for economic progress and success. All over the United Kingdom, young people from ordinary backgrounds are using their interest in music to create and develop small and micro businesses. And yet, very little is heard about this, instead we hear an endless refrain regarding the 'trouble with young people' in terms of  gangs, knives and of course being NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training). It seems that those in power only ever look in one direction for solutions to what is a complex and multi layered issue.

Instead of yet another task force or action plan, I suggest the aforementioned entrepreneurs would be a good place to begin to identify, not just the problems, but also the solutions particularly in terms of role models and mentoring for 14 - 25 year olds.

I recently presented a research paper at Stanford University which explores the issues in more detail (pdf attached below).

I would be interested to hear what other people think...