Ballybeg group wins the inaugural Padraig O Griofa youth Enterprise Board award

On Thursday February 7^th Ballybeg CYP were awarded the ‘Padraig O Griofa Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ Award from Waterford City Enterprise Board.

Last summer Waterford Youthbank and Waterford City Enterprise Board collaborated to establish a unique relationship aimed at encouraging young entrepreneurs. YOUTHBANK Enterprise Grants provide community groups with the necessary training to develop an enterprising idea, the skills to sell it and funds to run it.  Waterford City Enterprise Board grants were available to all youth groups within Waterford city with successful applications, the evaluation of these applications was undertaken by their peers. 

The programme included weekly workshops delivered by local business people giving practical training on subjects such as promoting your idea, finding your market and getting through the Youthbank interview process.

Successful applicants were then paired with a business mentor who met with the groups offering support and advice.  The groups with products were offered the opportunity of a cabin to sell their goods at this year’s Waterford city Winterval Festival. 

Padraig O Griofa was a well regarded businessman in Waterford and chaired the Waterford City Enterprise Board’s evaluation committee since its inception. He passed in March of 2012 and, wishing to remember his contribution to the business community and Waterford City Enterprise Board in particular, the Board established the ‘Padraig O Griofa Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ Award. This award was judged from the various Youthbank groups, and on the criteria of enterprise skills, planning, administration and enthusiasm.

A number of groups stood out, but the Ballybeg Fretwork group were named as overall winners. The awards took place at the Waterford Community Youth Service offices in the Edmund Rice Youth & Community Multiplex on Manor Street where in excess of fifty attended.

Ciaran Cullen (CEO) Waterford City Enterprise Board committed to renewing the relationship next year, “The effort and work that both Youthbank and these community groups put into their enterprise projects is inspiring. It was a pleasure to be in a position to invest in a project where the stakeholders are investing so much themselves.”

For further details on Youthbank’s activities you can find them on www.youthbank.org . Waterford City Enterprise Board offers support services for start-up and existing SME’s in Waterford city. If you have a new business idea or are running a business that requires assistance you can contact the Enterprise Board by phoning Celia on 051-852883 or check out what they have to offer first on www.waterfordceb.com