One NorthEast gives backing to new facility.

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Young people in the North East are being encouraged to start their own business with the setting up of a new Enterprise Academy

Based within the Herlingshaw Education Centre at Eston Leisure Complex, the academy will be funded by the regional development agency and partners for the next two years.

The facility, which aims to inspire young people and promote business start-ups, has been given a £400,000 funding boost from One NorthEast. The investment comes just months after the agency awarded £220,000 to Middlesbrough Football Club in the Community to convert the Herlingshaw Centre into an education facility.

It means the centre can continue the excellent work it does to showcase to youngsters that self employment is a realistic career option, in a bid to create a new generation of entrepreneurs.

Pat Ritchie, Assistant Chief Executive (Strategy) at One NorthEast, said: “It’s vital we offer as much support to young people and adults as we can, to encourage them that they can pursue self employment and entrepreneurship as a serious career.

“As the regional development agency for the North East, we know how important it is that young people are given every possible chance to turn their ideas into businesses.

“The Regional Economic Strategy identifies the need to create around 22,000 new businesses between now and 2016 if we”re to close the productivity gap between the North East and the average of the other English regions. It is clear that young entrepreneurs will play a crucial role in helping the North East achieve that goal and the enterprise academy will play a valuable part in that work.”

Investment late last year into the Herlingshaw Centre was used to build three new classrooms, offices and storage space, all of which use Middlesbrough FC as their theme in a bid to inspire those people not previously in employment, education or training, by improving their literacy and numeracy skills, their self-esteem and their health and fitness. So far, over 100 young people have already benefited.

George Cooke, Chairman of Middlesbrough Football Club in the Community, said “This support from One NorthEast allows the centre to continue and build on its ground-breaking work in helping children understand enterprise and how they may realistically consider different career pathways. One NorthEast continues to support this valuable work and their pro-active stance on the whole enterprise agenda is extremely helpful.”