Breaking Barriers: Making Youth Entrepreneurship Truly Inclusive

By Anita Tiessen, CEO, Youth Business International (YBI)

At Youth Business International (YBI), our mission is to support 250,000 youth-led businesses to help create 1 million jobs globally. To achieve this, we need to ensure that every young person, regardless of their background or abilities, can access the support they need to start, scale, and sustain their business. However, in youth entrepreneurship support, young entrepreneurs with disabilities often face significant barriers—barriers that are frequently overlooked.

That’s why I was pleased to co-facilitate a workshop at the ANDE Global Annual Conference with Ian Jones from Agile Development Group (ADG), focused on creating more inclusive support offers for young entrepreneurs. Titled ‘Inclusive Youth Entrepreneurship Support: From Recruitment to Evaluation’, the session was an opportunity to dive deep into the challenges faced by youth with disabilities and uncover practical strategies for change.

The insights shared during the workshop were both enlightening and humbling. Many young entrepreneurs with disabilities encounter invisible barriers in accessing the resources, funding, and networks they need to succeed. These barriers aren’t always physical; they can be related to communication, attitudes, or systemic structures that fail to consider the unique needs of individuals with disabilities.

Our workshop wasn’t just about identifying the challenges—it was about finding solutions. Together with Ian and the participants, we explored how organisations can make their support more inclusive and accessible, ensuring that no young person is left behind. We focused on practical inclusion strategies that organisations can implement right now to better serve young entrepreneurs with disabilities, from approaches to shift mindsets through to practicalities to make physical spaces more accessible.

The conversations during the session reinforced the need for intentional action. Inclusion cannot be an afterthought; it must be embedded into the core of entrepreneurship support programmes, from recruitment to evaluation. A one-size-fits-all approach unintentionally leaves many behind.

The ANDE Global Annual Conference provided the perfect platform to connect with like-minded organisations that share our vision of creating a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. Collaborating with Agile and other attendees reinforced the power of partnerships in driving meaningful change. Together, we have the tools, knowledge, and commitment to tackle these barriers head-on and make entrepreneurship more accessible for everyone.

At YBI, we are committed to leading this charge. But we know we can’t do it alone. It’s through collaboration with our global network of members and partners, and through events like the ANDE Global Annual Conference, that we can amplify our impact.

To reach our goal of supporting 250,000 youth-led businesses and creating 1 million jobs, we must be proactive in identifying and eliminating barriers and building inclusive ecosystems where young entrepreneurs of all abilities can thrive.

The work we do today will shape the opportunities available to young people tomorrow. Let’s continue this journey together, ensuring that all young entrepreneurs, regardless of their abilities, have the chance to reach their full potential.

The work doesn’t stop here—it’s just beginning.