Hold the press

The biggest business festival of 2014 has joined forces with the Liverpool Learning Partnership (LLP) to recruit young people from across the city to report on the International Festival for Business (IFB 2014) in words and pictures as journalists and photographers.

The initiative is one of many announced aimed at promoting the festival to young people and developing their business skills which also include:
IFB 2014 Young Executives – an opportunity for Year 9 to Year 12 pupils to be based at the heart of IFB 2014 activity in the newly announced IFB hub, the trade and nerve centre of the festival at Mann Island.

School to Business Links Showcase – where LLP schools will be invited to present and promote their active and significant links to business during IFB 2014
Youth Parliament Debates – motions for debate will be developed at both the European Youth Parliament UK taking place in Liverpool in July 2014 and at regular Liverpool Schools’ Parliament meetings throughout the year.

Mayoral Art Competition – supported by the Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson this competition will give youngest school pupils to the eldest the opportunity to respond creatively to the theme of ‘Liverpool – Global City’, recognising the truly international flavour of IFB 2014.

Max Steinberg CBE, IFB 2014 chairman and chief executive of Liverpool Vision, said: “This is an innovative and exciting way to stimulate business ambition in young people.

“IFB 2014 is a major UK event hosted in Liverpool and it is vitally important that all our people, especially young people, can take advantage of the incredible opportunity that the festival presents.

“Liverpool is a global city to be proud of, a city that successfully hosts major international events and competes in an international marketplace.
“Young people will learn this and more in a very direct way through this practical activity.

“This is not about simply attending a series of lectures or writing essays. It is about utilising the major event on our doorstep to inspire our young people, develop awareness and a desire to learn more about the world of business.”

One component of the package of initiatives announced is the IFB Young Reporters & Photographers competition, for pupils in Year 6 or above. This will enable up to 25 winning pupils to report from headline festival events and to interview some of the festival’s keynote speakers.

Liverpool Learning Partnerships’ joint chief executive Phil Daniels said: “Young people are much more media savvy these days. They have questions and opinions and voice them regularly through social media platforms and they are interested in business and in their home city so this initiative offers a perfect opportunity to promote awareness of IFB 2014.”

Information on all the initiatives have been sent directly to schools via LLP working with the Head Teachers Associations.