The Benefits of Youth Entrepreneurship Training: What the Research ShowsEntrepreneurship programs can be a lot of fun for teens—but beyond the fun, they can achieve very positive results. By learning how academic skills connect to real business opportunities and hopes for success, students can be motivated to work harder in school. Entrepreneurship programs also give wide scope to student creativity and energy and offer a positive way for students to channel their talents. If you are considering launching a youth entrepreneurship program, you may find it helpful to publicize and emphasize the positive benefits of such endeavors to your potential funders and volunteers. The two most obvious are that such programs can create employment opportunities (if students actually start new enterprises) and that they provide youth with an opportunity to develop new skills and enjoy new experiences. The collection below of additional research-based findings can help you “make the case” for your program. Key Benefits · May help the socio-psychological problems and delinquency that come from unemployment · Consumers gain by increasing market competition Supporting research: Curtain, R. (2000), “Towards a Youth Employment Strategy.” Report to the United Nations on Youth Employment. · Provides goods and services to the community · Revitalization of the local community · Promotes innovation and resilience · Allows disadvantaged youth the ability to succeed regardless of their background Supporting Research: OECD (2001), Putting the Young in Business: Policy Challenges for Youth Entrepreneurship, The LEED Programme, Territorial Development Division, Paris. · Promotes social and cultural identity · Builds a stronger sense of community · Gives youth, especially at-risk youth, a sense of meaning and belonging Supporting research: White and Kenyon (2000). “Enterprise-Based Youth Employment Policies, Strategies and Programmes.” Draft Report to ILO, Geneva. Entrepreneurship: It’s in Demand by Students A key survey by the Gallup Poll indicates that many students, particularly minority youth, have a strong interest in entrepreneurship: · 69% of high school students said that they wanted to start their own business · 75% of black youth said that they wanted to start their own business · 73% of the students said that independence was their primary motivation for wanting to start a business (and not monetary benefits). · 68% of the students said that it was very important for successful entrepreneurs or business owners to give something, in addition to providing employment, back to the community · 80% of black students said that it was very important for successful entrepreneurs or business owners to give something, in addition to providing employment, back to the community Moreover, the survey indicated that youth are not getting the training they want: · 9 out of 10 students rate their entrepreneurial knowledge as poor or fair at most · when asked to answer questions demonstrating basic entrepreneurial knowledge, high school students on average were only able to answer 44% of the questions correctly · 85% of students said they had been taught “practically nothing about” or “very little about” business and how it works · only 27% of students reported that they had taken a class in business or entrepreneurship · 84% of students said that it is “important” (36%) or “very important” (48%) that schools teach more about entrepreneurship and how to start a business · 67% of black youth said that it is “very important” that the nation’s schools teach students about entrepreneurship and business Supporting research: Gallup Organization, Inc. & National Centerfor Research in Economic Education. (1994). Entrepreneurship and Small Business in the United States: A Survey Report on the Views of the General Public, High School Students, and Small Business Owners and Managers. (Available from the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, Inc., Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Kansas City, MO.) | 
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