[Sub ID 4371] Entrepreneurship support for young people (Jane Waite)

Submission ID: 4371
Contact name: Ms Jane Waite
State: TAS
Contact email: janewaite.work@gmail.com
Contact number: 0400206339

Which priority group of the Try, Test and Learn Fund does your idea support?
Young students at risk of long-term unemployment

What need or issue are you trying to address?
Brains Work Here – the Business Reserve, addresses the lack of confidence those under 25 may feel about creating their own employment, even though they may have skills, training, knowledge, and a knock out business idea. Through my experience as a work-for-the-dole supervisor, I have witnessed the reluctance this age group has to follow through with very promising micro to small business ideas. Their lack of confidence and belief in themselves and their idea is a primary barrier to their progressing into this area of work creation.

What is your idea?
The Brains Work Here – the Business Reserve hands-on workplace will build necessary business, teamwork, workplace and interpersonal skills for a group of twenty participants, for a six month period. They will brand and promote Brains Work Here, while they also collectively create a feasibility study into projects which could improve their local community, thus experiencing what it is like to liaison with other ‘business partners’. As the participants come to understand what goes into creating and operating a business, more time is devoted, in a structured environment, to developing their own business idea. As an incentive, each participant will have access to, via a financial manager, $500, to pursue their business idea. At the end of their six months participation, they receive whatever profit they have generated, without penalty to their allowance, nor will this profit be taxable, much like the incentive behind the Army Reserve. Confidence and belief are built in a supportive, let’s-see-what-we-can-do environment.