Early start in digital training for youngsters
A new youth initiative will support young people to start the digital businesses of the future in Renfrewshire.
Paisley YMCA’s iEnterprise programme provides a dedicated entrepreneurial space that aims to help young people get into the employment market or to start their own companies.
The first session, which is financed by Big Lottery Fund’s Young Start Fund, saw 23 young people aged from 11 to 18 go along to learn more digital skills.
The principle behind iEnterprise is for young people to identify a need within their community and to address it through entrepreneurial thinking using digital technology to develop and implement their ideas.
Over the next 40 weeks, participants will be given access to software and hardware, as well as training and certification, to develop their ideas.
They will also be encouraged to take on project management roles, solve problems, set goals and budgets and work as a team to achieve their objective.
Darran Gillan, youth and community development manager at Paisley YMCA, said: “Our aim is to support young people in order to help them reach their full potential through digitally-based cultural and educational projects and programmes that develop an entrepreneurial spirit.
“The £50,000 Young Start Fund from the Big Lottery Scotland will support that transition for young people into the world of work over the next two years and enable them to be more attractive candidates to employers.”
In addition to equipping youngsters with valuable transferable skills, the programme aims to improve their digital l i t e racy capabilities and further develop their problem- solving and cognitive thinking abilities.
Using digital technology to help transform people’s lives by creating opportunities is a key aspect of Paisley’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2021.
Paisley 2021 bid director Jean Cameron said: “The iEnterprise programme is an excellent project that will help young people explore their creativity through digital channels.
“One of the main ambitions of the Paisley 2021 bid is to increase participation, raise aspirations and improve future prospects through culture and this programme looks to achieve all of these outcomes.
“The young people taking part in these sessions can use the skills they learn in a range of creative and interesting ways, helping to broaden their horizons and open them up to the range of career opportunities.”
During a pilot programme, which took place in 2016, young people developed wrestling, graphic design and music events businesses.
iEnterprise will be open at Paisley YMCA on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings between 5pm and 8pm for the next 40 weeks.
For more information on iEnterprise, email darran@ paisleyymca.org