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YEA! Young Entrepreneurs Alliance - Apply today!

Economy of Hours, or Echo for short, is an East London-based organisation that brings together local people and local organisations. They’re excited to launch YEA! Young Entrepreneurs Alliance, which is supported by Lendlease and which we at IQL are delighted to share.

What is YEA?

The Young Entrepreneurs Alliance programme brings together 20 youth-led enterprises from East London to share knowledge and skills, build a supportive network and celebrate each other’s successes.

The 6-month programme kicks off in January 2022 with a jam-packed schedule of 12 weekly in-person sessions, workshops and support from business experts, one-to-one coaching, access to workspace, and a chance to win £2,000.

The programme, which is designed for early-stage 18-30-year-old entrepreneurs and based in: Newham; Tower Hamlets; Hackney; or Waltham Forest, is for applicants who are open to sharing and learning with others. Those selected will learn how to perfect a business plan, attract their first customers, implement sales and marketing strategies, file tax forms, maintain a healthy work/life balance, and more!

From working closely with more than 300 entrepreneurs, Echo knows that starting a business can be very isolating leading to increased loneliness. According to YouGov research, nearly 88% of Britons aged from 18-24 said they experience loneliness to some degree. Continuing the important work of the Loneliness Lab to tackle loneliness through urban design and placemaking, Echo believe their approach of working collaboratively in a peer group setting can reduce the effects of loneliness, isolation and burnout experienced by many business leaders.

How to apply

The application portal is now open until Friday 22th December. Applications will be reviewed as they are submitted and places will be allocated on a rolling basis, so applications are encouraged sooner rather than later to secure a place. Find out more: economyofhours.com/yea

 For any other inquiries, please contact: hello@economyofhours.com

Programme Hosts

This programme is powered by Echo, delivered in partnership with New Ground Creations and supported by Lendlease. Echo is a community where people help each other by sharing skills and talents. Echo have been delivering business support programmes since 2015. YEA! will be organised and hosted by experienced facilitators from the Echo team.

Through the programme, participants will be able to tap into Echo’s network of 5000+ people offering their skills, plus their holistic programme of workshops and networking events. New Ground Creations (NGC) is a social venture, committed to making a difference in the lives of young people since 2012. Over the years, NGC has been trusted to provide impactful and innovative work with young people by providing the building blocks to improving business skills, well-being and financial stability in inner-city areas.