Background
In April 2022, Prince’s Trust International (PTI), now King’s Trust International (KTI), and the British Council (BC) began discussions to explore a partnership to deliver a pilot project based on KTI’s global Enterprise Challenge (EC) programme. Nigeria was chosen for the pilot due to both organisations' existing youth engagements there. British Council contributed £60,000 in direct costs plus staff time, while KTI contributed resources in staff time for programme design and implementation. A joint MoU was signed on June 27, 2023.
The programme was piloted during February and March 2024, supporting 189 young people (115 women and 74 men) aged 18 to 35. Women were the dominant participants across all three states: Lagos: 59 (Female 33/ Male 26), Kano: 70 (Female 42/ Male 28), Enugu 60 (Female 40/ Male 20).
The pilot covered three states Enugu, Kano, and Lagos, chosen for their broad geographical representation and prior programme delivery experiences. Local organisations were engaged as implementing partners to deliver the Sustainable Enterprise Challenge Nigeria Pilot designed to foster entrepreneurship among young individuals while developing essential skills. The programme included a business simulation game, "Pop Up", to guide participants through setting up and running a business, culminating in a pitch competition where the top ideas received startup grants.
Following implementation, an End of Pilot Review was conducted between March and May 2024 to assess the programme's effectiveness and provide recommendations for future iterations. Young women and men self-assessed positively their progress on development across all the core skill areas (communication, working with others, setting and achieving goals, managing feelings and confidence). CSO partners reported that Participants valued soft skills sessions, business skills training, practical business simulations, pitch practice, and role model visits. These interactive sessions allowed them to apply theoretical knowledge to real-life scenarios, enhancing their learning experience.
Programme overview
The aim of the programme is that young people exhibit an increase in knowledge, attitudes and behaviours that contribute towards their ability to be successful in business or employment.
The outcomes are:
- Young people are confident and capable to take part in entrepreneurship. YP will participate in a positive learning experience, where they are encouraged to be confidence in their skills and abilities, regardless of their gender.
- Young people have increased understanding of Entrepreneurship and business development: YP have gained a practical and deeper awareness of what it means to be an entrepreneur, conceive a business idea, develop it and start it (requirements etc). They will know whether this is a path that feels right for them and where to go to for their next steps
- Young people demonstrate behaviours associated with running a socially aware and responsible business. YP will understand how their core skills have practical application in a business setting and will be able to apply their newly acquired knowledge to tasks related to entrepreneurial activities.
- Delivery partners have the resources and capacity to apply effective and engaging approaches to delivering entrepreneurship programmes using an inclusive approach.
- Relevant institutions (Academia, NGO’s Government bodies, Financial Institutions, etc.) value the programme and are supportive of YP efforts to run a business or find employment.
This is an introductory offer for young people to get a real taste of what it is like to be an entrepreneur and to gain an understanding whether this path is for them. If it is not, the programme is still beneficial as the core life and business skills they gain are transferable and can be applied to employment and other areas of life to help young people succeed.
The programme enables young people to participate in a 4-6 week training programme blending face to face, online and homework sessions including access to KTI’s innovative Enterprise Challenge game which gives young people opportunity to apply team working and business skills in an online game setting. Youth people also have opportunity to meet with role models and inspirational business owners from their communities, and to receive 1:1 mentoring throughout the business ideation process. Following a final pitch day with stakeholders from the wider community some of the young people are awarded a small amount of seed funding to implement their idea.
Next steps
Youth Connect is funding delivery of the project in 2024/25 in Nigeria with the ambition to expand the programme into two additional states and well as continuing to work in Kano, Enugu and Lagos.
Both KTI and British Council are keen to seek external funding opportunities to expand the project further, both within Nigeria and across SSA.
