The idea
The Portsmouth Youth Innovation Centre is a concept to turn an underused very large classroom at Portsmouth's central sixth form college into an innovation centre that supports and incubates young people running businesses and community projects. Portsmouth is a city with an incredibly high deprivation index and a very high business failure rate, demonstrating the need for such a space. The centre would consist of up to ten desk spaces, a large meeting room space and a central workshop space.
As well as supporting young people based thereby providing free desk space and learning opportunities, the centre would also act as a space to invite primary and secondary school students to take part in enterprise-linked challenges and activities. This would effectively expose thousands of young people to the potentials of an entrepreneurial career path and develop the talent pipeline of future users of the centre.
What we'll deliver
- Produce promotional material, including design of a logo
- Create better signage
Why it's a great idea
The centre will promote social mobility by being an accessible platform for everyone - taking down the barriers to starting a business by providing a supportive environment regardless of your income, background or status. In summary, the Portsmouth Youth Innovation Centre will support and develop young entrepreneurs, promote the potentials of an entrepreneurial career path to thousands of younger students, create a motivational and aspirational pathway, remove barriers to starting a business, create economic prosperity and service the wider community as a hub of entrepreneurial activity - all in one of the most densely populated and deprived cities in the country.
Steps to get it done
- First group of entrepreneurs invited to the space
- Formal launch of first programme
- Public invite to young entrepreneurs
- Launch of the space
