Young people from across the Black Country recently pitched their business ideas as part of Serco's Dragons' Den initiative, a community programme designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality.

Led by Suki Gill, Social Value Lead for the Restart Scheme, the initiative was open to all young people aged 18 to 29 from local communities and is not limited to Restart Scheme participants. It aims to give young entrepreneurs a platform to develop their ideas, build confidence and access support from experienced self-employment coaches.

Hosted at Serco's West Bromwich Restart Scheme office, the event brought together ambitious young people from across the region, each presenting their business ideas to a judging panel.

More than a competition, the initiative is about investing in local communities and helping young people explore self-employment as a realistic and achievable option. Participants presented their ideas to a panel and received constructive feedback to help them develop their plans further.

Winners receive funding from Serco to support the next stage of their business journey, while all participants continue to be offered guidance from Restart Scheme self-employment coaches to help them build their skills, confidence and business knowledge.

Suki Gill said:

"I was truly inspired by the creativity, passion and ambition shown by the candidates. Every participant presented their ideas with professionalism, confidence and purpose, making the standard exceptionally high. The winning idea, centred on sharing social value stories through social media, has the potential to celebrate the incredible work of local organisations, raise awareness and create a lasting positive impact across the local communities we work in."

Through initiatives like Dragons' Den, Serco is helping create opportunities for young people across the Black Country to explore self-employment and develop the confidence needed to pursue their ambitions.

Watch this short video to learn more here.

Find out more about the work we do at Serco Employment, Skills and Training visit our website.