Kids Business

The Kids Business project enabled a group of young people in March to grow ideas, cultivate skills and create a new business, conjured up through their imagination.

Over a series of workshops, the Kids Business project enabled a group of young people in March to grow ideas, cultivate skills and create a new business, conjured up through their imagination. They came up with the entrepreneurial idea of escape sheds based on Harry Potter and Willy Wonka.

All the decisions were handed over to young people aged 5 – 15. They worked together in a creative environment across a range of ages and backgrounds. The project gave them space to think through ideas and select the nature of the business, making creative and practical decisions. The budding entrepreneurs were empowered to design and come up with wildly imaginative ideas. The project saw amazing young people designing, creating and running micro escape sheds in the town of March. 

“The creative space gave rise to friendships that can’t and don’t usually happen in the school situation“

With the decision to place the sheds in West Park, there was a great deal of curiosity and enthusiasm from members of the public passing through. The sheds were open to the public for two weekends, both of which were fully booked with a variety of family audiences, teenagers and young adults.

The project was playful with many creative aspects, but also combined with some serious learning curves about entrepreneurship and thinking about future aims and ambitions. The sense of ownership was a huge part of the success of the project – all the elements were thought through by the young people, including the key task of targeting certain audiences. Lots of work went into focusing on who their target audience were, and how they might make their escape sheds appealing to that audience.

Katherine Nightingale from 20Twenty Productions who co-created the project along with Hunt & Darton said: “This process of continual discussion and decision making was a genuine example of having young people have their say and being empowered to act on their voices being heard.”

“Creating new ideas and working with young people in our rural town settings is vital“

The young people openly said that the project had a positive impact on their daily lives, including family and school difficulties. It also helped them to think about their futures without fear. Parents were able to have some involvement too; some acted as a focus group where the young people pitched their ideas and invited them to vote for their favourite concept.

“The project allowed the young people to play within the structure and have fun being imaginative together. The creative space gave rise to friendships that can’t and don’t usually happen in the school situation – the intergenerational aspect of Kids Business with 5yr olds working with 14yr olds is delightful and so productive in terms of their learning how to work together.” – Hunt & Darton

“The project emphasised how important our work with young people is. Being able to offer new and varied projects that stimulate their minds and encourage them to interact with their community was brilliant. Creating new ideas and working with young people in our rural town settings is vital.” – 20Twenty Productions

The project was run by Hunt & Darton in partnership with 20Twenty Productions and commissioned by MarketPlace Creative People and Places.