A CHARITY programme which helps young people discover more about the world of work has got a boost.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council will be supporting the Young Enterprise Company Programme in 2018/19 by agreeing to match fund schools in the borough to take part in the forthcoming academic year so the council will share the costs of running the programme with participating schools.

Young Enterprise works to equip young people with the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to succeed in the world of work.

Students set up and run their own company over the academic year, making all the decisions, from deciding the company name and product, to creating a business plan, managing their finances and selling their products.

Cabinet member for communities and community safety at the borough council, Councillor Simon Bound, said: “We are delighted to be working with Young Enterprise to support young people across Basingstoke and Deane and give them the opportunity to learn how to start and run a business and become the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

“Young people in the borough are the workforce of the future and are key to Basingstoke’s local economic success. Through the Young Enterprise programme, they will get the chance to boost their employability and confidence by learning skills such as creative thinking, problem solving, communication and teamwork.”

Michael Mercieca, chief executive of Young Enterprise said: “I am thrilled that Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council have partnered with us on helping to make our Company Programme more accessible to more students in the Basingstoke area.

“Local participation is a key factor in getting more enterprise education out there in schools and I look forward to seeing the positive results of this partnership.

“You don’t get this stuff from a text book and we are greatly encouraged by our research which shows that 94 per cent of Company alumni go on to education, employment or training - seven per cent higher than the national average.”