The IKIC I Know I Can Barnsley Big Challenge was officially launched during Global Entrepreneurship Week.

The launch was held at Barnsley College and supported by Barnsley Work and Skills Board. An audience of students, local entrepreneurs, Dan Jarvis MBE, MP for Barnsley Central and Linda Burgess, Cabinet Spokesperson for Children Young People and Families, all enjoyed the occasion.

Dan Jarvis MP spoke of his strong support for this initiative, "The I Know I Can Big Challenge is all about helping young people to recognise and achieve their full potential. It is part of a long term plan to raise aspirations of young people and to empower them to become the next generation of entrepreneurs. There are lots of great ideas that come from Barnsley and we are very excited to see what the outcome of this challenge will be, both for the young people and the businesses they work with."

Ten teams of local students received awards for the 'best initial business idea'. Jessica Goodwin and Jade Brooks from Kirk Balk Community College won the £50 prize for their business, 'Rose and Thimble', which was presented by Dan Jarvis MBE and local businessman Andy Chesterton, Chair of The I Know I Can Big Challenge Steering Group.

The team were thrilled and explained that their winning idea is to create handmade jewellery from scrabble tiles and other bric-a-brac. Other ideas include making and selling vintage accessories, creating a virtual marketplace, making handbags from recycled jumpers and designing desktop organisers from comic strips. Recycling in various guises is a strong theme coming through already with many of the teams. Eighty seven teams have been funded by Entrepreneurs and will receive mentoring guidance and advice as the Challenge progresses.

Teams begin with the launch sum of £25 and with this they need to grow their business over six months to compete for the prizewinning title of 'I Know I Can Big Challenge Winner'.

Andy Chesterton commented, "This scheme gives the young people of a Barnsley a real life experience of setting up a business. The pilot scheme which finished this summer, was a huge success, so the partnership team decided to roll it out to all schools and colleges across Barnsley. We are still looking for more business support - local entrepreneurs who are willing to inspire young people."

Liz Yoxall of Business and Education South Yorkshire, Co-ordinator of the Challenge, alongside partners Sero, said,

"The Challenge is designed to help create a 'can do' culture amongst young people in Barnsley. It aims to raise aspirations of young people, help them to recognise how they can make a difference themselves to the worlds of work, develop their skills to make them more enterprising and to enable them to see entrepreneurship as a very real career opportunity." And what do the young people themselves think of the IKIC Challenge? Lucy Hodges, on the winning team for the pilot scheme gave her opinion,

"We ran an event company and organised a fashion show - it was brilliant. It was great to have the experience of running a business. We were really pleased to be winners and will definitely be taking part again!"

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