Young entrepreneurs will take centre stage in Whitby next month, with the Kids Market Pop-Up coming to Discovery School on Friday, June 5, from 4.30pm to 7.30pm.
The event will give tamariki and rangatahi aged about 5 to 19 the chance to run their own stalls, sell products they have created, and build real-world business confidence in a supportive community setting.
Families and local residents are encouraged to come along, meet the young stallholders, and support the next generation of small business owners.
The Whitby event is part of a wider Kids Market season led by the Ōtaki Women’s Club, which is creating opportunities for young people across the region to learn enterprise, creativity, customer service, pricing, marketing and communication skills.
About 50 stall spaces are available for the Discovery School pop-up, with a $5 stall fee. Registrations are open through the Kids Market website.
The Kids Market programme has already supported hundreds of young people through hands-on market experiences.
Organisers say the markets help participants grow confidence, resilience and entrepreneurial thinking, while giving them a practical taste of running a business.
Two further youth enterprise events are also planned.
Junior Dragons’ Den will be held in Ōtaki on Sunday, June 21, from 11am to 3pm. The free event is aimed at young people aged 10 to 19 who already have a business idea or have previously taken part in a Kids Market.
Participants will workshop their ideas, hear from entrepreneurs, build pitching confidence and learn more about branding, pricing and marketing.
Young entrepreneurs will also have the chance to trade in a busy retail setting during the Kids Market Pop-Up at Coastlands Shopping Centre from July 14 to 17, from 10am to 2pm each day.
That event will give stallholders experience in retail presentation, customer interaction, sales and marketing.
Registrations and further information are available at www.otakiwomensclub.org/kidsmarket.
