Do our young people have the ideas to kick-start Dublin’s economy? If you think the answer is ‘yes’ then the ‘It’s my Business’ exhibition at the Innovation Dublin festival in the Civic Offices Atrium is the place to be at 12.30hrs on Thursday 15th October.

The exhibition sees budding entrepreneurs from four inner city schools present their exciting businesses ideas. These include a solar powered reading light, a recession busting perfume and recycled jewellery. The school children received enterprise training from Junior Achievement Ireland volunteers.

Dublin’s Lord Mayor Cllr Emer Costello will present awards for the best ideas in the following categories: environmental awareness, communications, teamwork and innovation.

The Lord Mayor says

“I would like to congratulate the school children taking part for coming up with such creative and innovative business ideas. Innovation Dublin is all about showcasing the creativity that is so important to our city’s future growth and development.  Young people are our future and the schools taking part in ‘It’s My Business’ demonstrate that even though we continue to experience economic difficulties we still have reasons to be optimistic.

“Junior Achievement introduces so many young people to the advantages of education and the value of a fulfilling working career. It’s a very simple but effective social inclusion measure and I would like to thank Junior Achievement and the volunteers from Dublin City Council who helped the school children develop their ideas .”

Ends

Notes to Editor:

• Innovation Dublin runs 14-20th October in venues around Dublin. It’s an opportunity for Dubliners - whether they’re entrepreneurs, students, researchers, artists or large corporations - to celebrate new ideas and fresh initiatives
• Junior Achievement Ireland is one of Ireland’s leading children’s charities. Junior Achievement volunteers help create a culture of enterprise in the education system, aiming to reduce the numbers leaving school early.  65,000 student took part in Junior Achievement enterprise and life skills programmes nationwide in 2008/9 with the help of 3,000 business volunteers
• The students taking part in ‘It’s My Business’ are all in sixth class. They developed their initial ideas when taking part in the Junior Achievement programme in fifth class. They will take the ideas brainstormed in ‘It’s My Business’ and develop full business plans

The four schools taking part are: 

•  Presentation Primary School, George’s Hill, Dublin 7.
• St. Gabriel’s National School, Cowper Street, Dublin 7.
• City Quay National School, Dublin 2.
• St. Vincent’s Girls School, North William Street, Dublin 1.