Nationally 150,000 enthusiastic young people are involved with the Young Chamber network, providing a platform for businesses and young people to meet and work together for everyone’s benefit. Locally four county schools have joined up with the Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce to form Young Chambers of their own, giving young people the opportunity to engage with business and experience a greater understanding of the workplace, enterprise and future employment opportunities.

Young Chamber works so well because it is led and run by the local business community and stimulated by the local economic needs of the business community. It also supports students with an enterprising mindset, a can do attitude, and an interest in business - just the kind of future employees your business could be looking for!

Why should your business get involved?

• Help shape and develop the quality and aptitude of the future workforce
• Help influence the career choices of young people
• Enhance your reputation in your local community
• Develop links with the wider community that your business operates in
• Develop ways that your business can influence economic understanding, business attitudes and skills of the future workforce
• Identify ways that students can contribute to business issues and objectives
• Commission students to undertake business activities, research and problem solving under the umbrella of Young Chamber
• Interaction at networking events, training or information events
  
  How can your business get involved?

One of the major problems that prevent people in business getting involved with worth while initiatives such as Young Chamber is lack of time! Even if you can only spare an hour or two to visit students interested in your work and talk about what you do, that’s fine.

Getting your company to be proactive with Young Chamber means:

•  It’s a great opportunity for you to meet potential future employees from your neighbourhood, who are genuinely interested in your business.
• You may get some surprising ideas about your business that prove to be genuinely useful.
• Your business may have customers in the “young person” age range, and you could gather valuable information from just talking to some of them.
• You could get some really positive PR for your business by sharing stories with local media about your involvement.

It’s easy to find out more by contacting Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce on 0116 258 7354 or email jackiel@bizbuild.co.uk

You can also take at look at the Young Chamber website at http://www.youngchamber.com