Global Entrepreneurship Week 18-24 Nov

Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) is about turning a dream into something that is achievable. The week which was originally known as Enterprise Week began in 2004 and since its creation over 125 countries participate, the only way now is up! In 2012 in the UK 279,500 people attended over 3,200 amazing events.

Only 1 in 20 young people start their own business in the UK – even though more than half of them want to. There has also been overwhelming support from a range of well-known, successful people: Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama are just two of the names who have made no secret of their resounding support for entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurship programs alike.

The theme of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2013 is ‘take a step forward’. There will be loads of themed events taking place during the week and practical help and support will be passed on to budding entrepreneurs who are considering starting up their own business.

Have you heard of Tenner? It’s an national entrepreneurial competition fronted by Peter Jones. It’s aimed at school children in the UK. Each child is loaned a ten pound note and encouraged to make a profit in a month.

I personally think it’s a fantastic and really exciting idea! At Walton Priory Middle School, Rae Bridges set up a chocolate company and made more than £70 selling his yummy products at Vue Cinema!

Other events will focus on showcasing women’s entrepreneurial talents, and an exciting challenge for all entrepreneurs in the making! Keep tabs on the official Global Entrepreneurship Week website for more information on events near you.

I remember back in school we had an entrepreneur visit and get everyone involved in a challenge. It was great fun and everyone was buzzing for the rest of the week! While I wasn’t sure that starting my own business was something I wanted to do, the experience really boosted my self-esteem. I felt like I could do anything and that’s what it’s all about – showing there is nothing you can’t do if you believe in yourself!

2013 theme: take a step forward

Youth Business International today announces this year’s theme for Global Entrepreneurship Week: Take a step forward.

Building on last year’s invitation to “pass it on”, we’ll now be encouraging current and aspiring entrepreneurs to take a step forward in their plans – whether that’s starting a business, seizing a new opportunity or finding out more about careers in enterprise.

We’re looking forward to working with partners to encourage as many people as possible to take a step forward during Global Entrepreneurship Week 2013!

This year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week will also be celebrating 10 years of enterprise history in the UK. The first Enterprise Week – now Global Entrepreneurship Week – was held in 2003, so 2013 will be our tenth anniversary.

Why Global Entrepreneurship Week is important

“Global Entrepreneurship Week is about growing enterprise ambition and ensuring that those with ideas know where to get the support they need to make them a reality. It’s about creating jobs and opportunities: small business in the UK employs nearly 60 per cent of the workforce and contributes almost half of UK turnover.” ~ David Cameron, Prime Minister

We believe that a large national campaign to promote entrepreneurship is a vital part of making the UK more entrepreneurial, to encourage more people to start up their own business.

The challenge we face is simple: whilst more than half of the population would like to start their own business, less than 5% actually do. These entrepreneurial ambitions are even more acute among certain demographic groups – particularly among young people and women. Young people in the UK are three times more likely to be unemployed than adults, and more than twice as many men start up businesses as women.

Yet mass participation in activities designed to promote entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial thinking can have proven outcomes in addressing these issues. Global Entrepreneurship Week – which began life in the UK back in 2004 as Enterprise Week – is the world’s largest campaign to promote entrepreneurship and is recognised by organisations all over the UK as the highlight of the entrepreneurship calendar.

As a result of the 2012 campaign:

• 92% of participants said that following the week, they would be proactively taking steps towards their entrepreneurial goal
• 64% of participants who were not entrepreneurs said that they were encouraged to think about starting their own business
• 25% of participants said that they had acquired new skills
• 46% of participants who were entrepreneurs said that they had been able to make useful new contacts

Over this time, everyone involved has helped hundreds of thousands of people make the most of the start-up opportunities that exist in the UK.

Jonathan Ortmans provides an overview of Global Entrepreneurship Week–in this animated sketchbook video–and why millions of people celebrate it each November.

Learn more at: www.unleashingideas.org.

Global Entrepreneur Week – Facebook

About
Global Entrepreneurship Week takes place this year on November 18 – 24, 2013. Mark your calendars! Follow us on Twitter: @UnleashingIdeas #GEW2013 #GEW
Company Overview
Global Entrepreneurship Week is a celebration of innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity. The Week will bring together millions of people across the globe through online and local activities and encourage them to think innovatively and unleash their ideas. Through a coordinated effort with many different countries, during one week every year, the world will celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit in hopes of inspiring a new generation of young entrepreneurs.

If you’re a partner whose been involved with us for some time, perhaps even since the beginning, why not use this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week to celebrate your achievements to date? ADD NEW COMMENT HERE.