Insider Media Limited

A project set up to tackle youth unemployment across the West Midlands has won an award. The Young People’s Enterprise Centre of Expertise (YPECOE) was created to increase awareness of self-employment among 16 to 24-year-olds in the region two years ago.

It has helped increase the number of young people working for themselves.

The project, which is based at the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, has been crowned the "Most Enterprising Project in the West Midlands" in the Enterprising Britain competition.

YPECOE has devised programmes such as the website www.thinkenterprise.org, which provides a portal for under-25s looking to develop business ideas, start up in business or grow an existing company.

Louise Bennett, patron of YPECOE, said: “Youth unemployment is one of the major issues facing the West Midlands with an estimated 110,000 now without work – nearly 26 per cent of young people in the region.

“Of course, these are just statistics but the real picture is one of low employment prospects for young people leaving school, college or university which means we need to look at some innovative ways of creating jobs. Self-employment is often overlooked as a career path for young people.

“I believe the work YPECOE and the Young People’s Enterprise Partnership is doing to engage young people, develop opportunities and raise awareness of the possibilities of enterprise is making a real difference.”