Are you facinated by how some of the best video games get made? Have you already been using some of the game making software available to create your own mini games at home? If yes, you need to enter the Game-making Award competition and show off your game-making skills.

Want to find out more about the competition first?

If you’re also interested in designing games then why not also enter the Game Concept Award?

Apply Now

Want to find out more about the competition first? Then read on…

Apply Now

The 10 lucky Young Minds winners will win the opportunity of a lifetime. Their prize will include the chance to attend one of Google’s most prominent events, Zeitgeist Europe 2012.

We welcome you the 10 amazing winners of Young Minds 2012.

(Click the names to open/close tab)

After recently attending a free coaching session on LinkedIn I was amazed to find out the true power of LinkedIn. All the people you want to talk to at the click of a button and free of charge, trying to come across these people at networking events would be almost impossible due to the high calibre of contacts on LinkedIn who may never stumble across your path.

There were various notes I took from the session which I believe are key to becoming a key LinkedIn networker, the notes I took have been summarised for you right here on Inspiring Young People to help you get in touch with the people you really want to get in touch with.

There are many key contacts on LinkedIn, they can easily be found simply by searching through the websites search engine, allowing you to connect with key decision makers. Once you’ve found the ideal person for you, it’s best to have positive engagement when connecting with that person by simply personalising your connection message.

The key to becoming successful on LinkedIn is communication as it’s vital to talk in real time, and be good at what you say you do. LinkedIn shouldn’t be an extra activity you do to fill spare time, it should be part of your business process to enable you to build a good network.

One of the most important things I’ve learned about LinkedIn is it’s not for selling. Don’t start pitching your business to hundreds of people; rather use LinkedIn to develop relationships with those relationships then you will start to get introduced to others with sales developing.

4 Key things for a successful LinkedIn profile;

- Professional photograph

- Professional profile headline (How you help people. The problem you solve. How do you add value?)

- Summary (Value you offer. Problems you can solve people. What you do)

- Recommendations (Get as many genuine as possible!)

To finish with there are very helpful groups on LinkedIn various groups for each industry. Get in involved with! This is a good place for you to expand your network, help people and I’m sure there will be plenty of people who will be able to help you.

“The way of the world is meeting people through other people.” Robert Kerrigan

Cheylin Parker is a university student at Howard University in America as well as a budding young entrepreneur; she started a business called Craze Boutique with her friends. We got in touch with to find out a little more about her.

Hi Cheylin, can you tell us a bit about the woman behind the business?

I am a junior broadcast news major and political science minor attending Howard University. Aside from being a business owner, I am also a radio/TV personality for WHBC 830 am (www.whbc830am.com) and WHUR Glasshouse Radio (www.glasshouseradio.com) and the Spotlight Network’s Unlucky in Love. I am also a writer, journalist and producer (E-Screen entertainment show and H[ear]D hip hop show).

I would like to think that although I have a lot going on, I am very family and friend oriented. I love going home to my little small city of Hampton, VA and spending time with family and friends. I love writing, reading, traveling and having a good time. I grew up in a tough situation with my parents but I believe it has only made me stronger and the woman that I am blossoming into. I appreciate hard work and I try my best to give 100% in everything that I do.

I am a strong believer in God and through him all things are possible. There are still so many things that I want to do and accomplish and I can only look forward to and strive for the future. On top of having a successful career, I also want to start a family of my own. I really believe that unique “American dream” that we all have is possible.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN_aO3dmb2Y

How did the idea for Craze Boutique come about?

It actually happened from a joke. One Christmas break, my freshmen year in college, two of my business partners and I went into Ross and decided to make a funny video on what NOT to wear or buy from Ross. From that video, one of my business partner’s (Brianna Ruff) father said that we could make a business of doing that for other businesses. At her kitchen table with nachos and chili and cheese, we started working on our ideas, logo and business plan and in some way it turned into Craze.

We ultimately wanted to do events but realized that it could be expensive. The boutique was our way of making money for the events. However, the boutique just took a life of it’s own and we have continued with it. We are more than just a boutique though, which is included in our fashion division. We also have three other divisions (Productions, Promotions and Events) which will be coming out with projects very soon! In a nutshell, it really just transformed and took on a life of its own from a funny video.

Where do you see yourself and your company in 5 years?

Well for myself, in five years I see myself continuing in radio and television as a personality and producer. I also hope I will have my MBA by that time with a focus on entertainment, media and technology (which I hope will help me with my own business and media gatekeeping). For Craze, in 5 years we hope to open up our first live location for the boutique.

We also want to be in full speed with events and promotions and perhaps starting a consulting department as well. We want to be more than just a company, but a lifestyle that people can really relate to, especially young people, that’s affordable and possesses quality.

Finally, what advice would you give to other young people looking to start a company whilst they are at university?

My advice would be to first identify your passion. Really take a deep look into yourself and what you love to do. There’s nothing like having something to call your own. I also would say be prepared for the commitment that you’re going to have to make to make your business successful. I know being a full-time student and having other things on your plate can be tough, but in order to have the type of business that you want that is successful, it’s going to take time and commitment.

Be prepared to be BROKE =) and be willing to pour your money, heart, blood, sweat and tears into your business. Because if you don’t, who will? Finally, PLAN. Make sure you have a strong business plan. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Also, don’t be afraid to take risks.

Many say it was a risk for us to start our own business while in different places and in college and being friends, but honestly, it was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. We depend on each other, we love each other and we all hold Craze close to our hearts. It’s all about RISKS, PASSION, and HARD WORK!

Follow @Go_Craze

A brilliant example of a persistent person I saw was most recently was in a F1 grand prix, which saw young German Nico Rosberg son of F1 world champion Keke Rosberg take his first ever grand prix victory since his entry into Formula 1.

Persistent people come from all walks of life not just business and sport!

Nico Rosberg entered Formula 1 officially with the Williams F1 team in 2006, and drove for them until the end of the 2009 season. From 2010 onwards he has been part of the all German driver and team line up which was racing for Mercedes GP alongside fellow German F1 legend Michael Schumacher, so obviously there were huge expectations to live up to.

Following an extremely difficult career without taking the top step on the podium since the start of his Formula 1 career he kept trying and persisting, this talent was seen from the start of his career as a rising star in F1 and a future star. But as much as he persisted with the development of his personal and professional skills the opportunity never seemed to arise nevertheless, he persisted on carrying his youthful energy and enthusiasm for his career into a new team Mercedes GP.

Upon his arrival to Mercedes GP he was teamed up with seven time world champion Michael Schumacher. Now there was even more pressure mounted upon this young driver to win a race but, the skills, knowledge and passion persisted him through this and, this year just two races ago he clinched his first pole position since his entry to Formula 1 at the Chinese grand prix.

His race win came to him with huge relief, with persistence came his dream a Formula 1 win.

From his race win he has now set himself the target of achieving his first world championship. With his increased confidence and extended passion which came with his first ever win, he now has everything to be able to win and become a key player in every grand prix.

Going the distance is what matters!

Lisa Edoff Design is a contemporary surface design company that offers unique and quirky pattern designs. Lisa aims to launch a product range with her designs, including kitchen trays, bags, phone and laptop cases and stationary items.

Naweed (IYP): Tell me a little bit about yourself.

Lisa: I’m a graphic designer and illustrator from Sweden. I studied at University of the Arts London, and worked freelance for about three years before deciding to focus on pattern design and starting up my own surface design company Lisa Edoff Design.
I will soon be launching a range of homeware products and accessories with my pattern designs printed on them.

Naweed (IYP): What started your passion for design?

Lisa: I have always been passionate about art and design, I have drawn and created things all my life. When I was 12 years old I sold my first paintings, my brother and I sold them at a market in France while on holiday.

Naweed (IYP): What awards have you won?

Lisa: 2009 I won a D&AD student award for my illustrated animation “Black Holes”. I have also received the Emerge award which is a graphic design award for promising graduates, in collaboration with London Design Festival.

Naweed (IYP): What books do you have on your coffee table?

Lisa: I don’t actually have a coffee table but some books I’m reading/looking in for inspiration at the moment is “Thinking with type” by Ellen Lupton and the “Tactile” and Tangible” books.

Naweed (IYP): Where do you get design news from?

Lisa: Twitter, Creative Review’s blog, The Design Trust, Design for Mankind and other design blogs.

Naweed (IYP): Congratulations on winning the business startup grant from SEE (organisation for graduates of University of the Arts). What was the process like and how do you plan on spending it?

Lisa: Thank you very much! The application consisted of a written part plus a more personable video pitch. I thought the process was great because it forced me to really think my idea through and figure out a plan of action. Before  I applied to the grant I had never done a business plan, so it was a learning experience. I really enjoyed making the video pitch as well, my fiancé who has worked with video production helped me film and edit it. I have been told it was the video that got me the grant! I plan to spend the money on product development; prototypes and the first set of stock. Some of the money will also go to setting up a website and marketing.

Naweed (IYP): What’s the range of products you have designed?

Lisa: I have designed a range of contemporary patterns that will be printed on products such as bags, iPad/laptop cases, stationary and kitchen trays. At the moment I have produced the kitchen trays, I can’t wait to develop the rest of the prototypes!

Naweed (IYP): Where do you work on your designs and projects?

Lisa: I work from my home office, sometimes I go out to photograph things that inspire me, and then I use the photos as inspiration when I draw.

Naweed (IYP): Describe your style, like a good friend of yours would 
describe it.

Lisa: My style is quirky, modern, imaginative, colourful and happy!

Naweed (IYP): What do you hope for the future for you and your design career?

Lisa: My goal is for my design company to be successful and grow, I want my products in shops all over the world and eventually I want to open up my own brand store!

Naweed (IYP): Is there any designers from the past you appreciate a lot?

Lisa: Yes, lots! Alan Fletcher was a brilliant British designer, a few that are still around that I love are: Stefan Sagmeister, Julia Rothman, Nubby Twiglet,Lotta Kühlhorn and Jessica Hische.

Naweed (IYP): A few inspiring words for anyone wanting to become a designer?

Lisa: Learn a lot of techniques, try to always develop your work, enjoy it and don’t give up if you get rejected! It’s very hard to make a career in any creative industry, but you can do it with persistence!

Thank you very much for taking part in this interesting and eye opening interview, best of luck with the future!

Follow Lisa’s progress https://twitter.com/LisaEdoff

Are you interested in ensuring young people influence UK Government decision making?

Then apply to join the first National Scrutiny Group – a body of young people who will youth proof and examine UK Government policies.

What is the National Scrutiny Group?
A group of young people aged 11-19 who will advise UK Government Ministers directly on young people’s needs and the impact of Government policy on young people. The Group will work closely with the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children and Families and other Government Ministers.

What does it involve?
We are looking for 15 young people to join a panel who meet with the Government at least three times a year and take part in an induction training day.

You will need to be willing to volunteer about 1 hour a week to take part until March 2013. All expenses will be covered and you will get a certificate of participation, insight into Parliament, and your experience will be accredited through the BYC Youth Voice Award.

Who is eligible to apply?

You must be:
Aged 11-19.
Resident in England.
Able to commit about one-hour per week as a volunteer (and attend a two-day training session on 1st and 2nd July 2012).
Committed to getting young people’s voices heard within central government.
You should also:

Have good communication skills.
Not be worried about asking difficult questions.

How do I apply?
There are two types of application:

1. Young people who already active in a youth representative roles (such as member of youth council, Member of UK Youth Parliament, young mayor) in England

Please complete and submit a manifesto and election form by 15th May 2012.

You will then be added to the ballot for election at the relevant regional BYC Convention event taking place in June.

For an informal discussion and further details, please contact your Youth Democracy Coordinator or email BYC’s Volunteers Officer Keith Morgan at: Keith.Morgan@byc.org.uk.

2. Young people who are not already active in youth representative roles

We are particularly keen to have applications from young people who would not otherwise have an opportunity to have their say. We are also looking for young people from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in society.

Please complete and submit an application form by 5th June 2012.

If you have any questions please email Keith.Morgan@byc.org.uk.

Application form: http://www.byc.org.uk/media/89795/nsg_application_form.doc

Once your business has launched, that’s when things get really exciting. You can call your business a start-up for the first 3 years of trading, but you only have a limited window to capitalise on your ‘new kid on the block’ launch buzz. Once it’s passed, how will you be getting your products in front of customers?

The Internet gets talked about a lot these days, but it really is a fantastic way of marketing your business. One significant marketing platform for your business is the inclusion of a blog, which can be used to not only publicise new product additions or , but also can provide a behind-the- scenes look at the business and encourage customers to feel like a part of your brand.

The key resource necessary for success using this strategy is not money but time – as consistent blogs posts of high quality and relevant content can often be the difference between people engaging with or ignoring your posts. Like everything else in business, simply creating a blog post isn’t enough – you have to also get them out in front of customers so they can read it! Luckily, the Internet does not disappoint, providing many websites where you can share blog content, including Digg, Reddit, Delicious and Stumble Upon.

Social media is also another free medium that can be used to generate interest around your business, and more importantly can be used to engage customers to get them to interact with your content, products and brand. However, the news has been littered with big companies with huge budgets getting their strategies wrong – and paying for it dearly. If you are going to engage customers through social media, make sure you respond to any customer questions fast and plan things out in advance – a lesson we learnt when running our first twitter competition.

The competition was simple; if you follow Urban Alpha on twitter you will have a chance of winning some Calvin Klein men’s underwear. It went well, and after 24 hours we had over 1000 followers thanks to some retweets by menswear bloggers. The plan was to follow up the winner announcement with an offer or free delivery for all who entered, but in the haste to get the competition running and because of the many tasks for a start-up to do in a day, we hadn’t set up and tested the discount code! Needless to say we couldn’t get it to work, and by the time we did we had lost over 300 followers.

If we had spent more time planning out the competition, chances are it would have come and gone without incident. But, as you will find, running a business as a young entrepreneur is as much about learning as it is anything else. You will undoubtedly face many challenges on your journey, but don’t let the little things get you down. Work towards achieving your goals, and over time you and your business will flourish!

Andrew is the owner of Urban Alpha urbanalpha.co.uk, an online designer men’s clothing retailer. You can read the first two articles in this series here and here. You can find Urban Alpha on facebook.com/urbanalpha or twitter.com/urbanalpha, and you can follow Andrew on Twitter at @AFDPALLETT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GQwS2lWon4

ABOUT THE AWARD

The James Dyson Award is an international student design award running in 18 countries. It’s run by the James Dyson Foundation, James Dyson’s charitable trust, as part of its mission to encourage the next generation of design engineers to be creative, challenge and invent.

THE BRIEF

“Design something that solves a problem”

THE PRIZE

International Winner:
- £10,000 the student or student team (of up to four members)
- £10,000 for their university department
- James Dyson Award trophy and Certificate

Two International Runners-up:
- £2,000 each
- James Dyson Award Certificate

Fifteen International Finalists:
- James Dyson Award Certificate

National Winners:
- £1,000 each
- James Dyson Award Certificate

Up to nine National Finalists from each country:
- James Dyson Award Certificate

WHO CAN ENTER?

The James Dyson Award is open to product design, industrial design and engineering university level students (or graduates within 4 years of graduation) who have studied in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, UK and USA. See the Terms and Conditions for full entry criteria.

HOW IS IT JUDGED?

Stage 1: A panel of leading designers, engineers and design critics in each of the 18 participating countries shortlist the top ten entries and name the national winners.
Stage 2: A panel of Dyson design engineers scrutinise all national projects selecting the top 50.
Stage 3: An international judging panel of high-profile designers, engineers, academics and journalists pick 15 international finalists. Informed by the international judges, James Dyson will name the winner and two runners-up.

Entries Close
Thursday 2nd August 2012

APPLY NOW