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CBBC children’s entrepreneur quiz criticism continues

CBBC under continued attack for giving children the wrong message about entrepreneurship

Following yesterday’s Twitter storm about CBBC’s ‘Are you an entrepreneur?’ quiz, the criticism continues today. A joint press release issued yesterday between The Apprentice star Felipe Alviar-Baquero and author of Enterprising Child, Lorraine Allman, attracted a huge number of supporters dismayed at the way in which the quiz appeared to tell children they would only make it in business if they were dishonest and/or cheated.

Small business owners, parenting experts, and education organisations came forward to express their dismay at the quiz, saying “this is horrific teaching awful values!“ and “Poor form, not to mention ill-informed on the part of @CBBCTV Can’t have been much expert consultation!“

Small businesses felt the quiz was totally unrepresentative of the 5 million plus small businesses in the UK who form the backbone of the economy.

Lorraine Allman, herself a business woman of 17 years, and author of Enterprising Child says:

“We can’t let this go, it is not only misrepresenting the majority of business owners in this country, but sending out the message to children that to be a successful entrepreneur you have to lie and cheat your way to the top, and that’s just not true“.

Allman’s 8 year old son, the UK’s youngest successful crowdfunder, completed the quiz and was told he was just “too nice” to make it in business.

“In what way is that encouraging children to take an interest in business and teaching them the importance of honesty and integrity?“ asks Allman

Jodie Cook, co-founder of the Clever Tykes series of books, which promote important life skills and characteristics to children by providing positive entrepreneurial role models, agrees with Allman and says:

“If we tell children that these are the characteristics required to be an entrepreneur, we will put off honest and hardworking people from a career that they might love. This is also a very damaging message to convey to young people, especially since the British economy survives because of entrepreneurs and small business owners who create jobs and help to grow the economy.“

Many of the organisations and individuals complaining have offered to work with CBBC to help create a more appropriate quiz. CBBC are yet to respond.

ENDS

EDITORIAL NOTES:

Lorraine Allman Lorraine Allman is a business woman of 17 years, author of ‘Enterprising Child: developing your child’s entrepreneurial potential’, and Mum to the UK’s youngest successful crowdfunder and the First Young Ambassador for Crowdfunding in the UK.

Contact: 07766 415121, email lorraine@enterprisingchild.com Lorraine tweets @EnterpriseChild and @beindemand www.enterprisingchild.com

Jodie Cook / Clever Tykes Jodie Cook is co-author of the Clever Tykes books a series of storybooks for children age 5-11 years promoting important life skills and characteristics to children by providing positive entrepreneurial role models. The books were featured in the Lord Young’s ‘Enterprise For All’ report published last year.

Contact: ben@clevertykes.com or tel. 0121 6311838

CBBC Quiz The CBBC ‘Are you an entrepreneur’ quiz can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/games/entrepreneur-quiz Screen shots of all 8 questions from the quiz are available. CBBC is a digital channel aimed at 7 to 12 year olds.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Lorraine Allman .