Heather Wilkinson, Founder of Striding Out, is approached to speak at a range of events, to encourage young people to consider self-employment as a potential career choice. She delivers presentations in schools and universities to offer her insight, tips and advice about starting a business.

Having set up her first business at the age of 23, and Striding Out at 27, she is an ideal candidate for promoting young entrepreneurship, not only from her own experience but also those who she works with. She speaks regularly about Social Entrepreneurship to young people. Having run social enterprise activities whilst at school, and studied social enterprise at University, she is passionate about raising awareness of the sector. In 2006, she won the Social Enterprise Mentor of the Year Award for her contribution to the sector.

Some of the events where Heather has participated as a speaker in 2007 include:

The Enterprise Week 2006 Thank You Event, hosted by the Enterprise Insight Campaign to thank all of the organisations who participated in Enterprise Week 2006.

The Edge Upstarts Awards Launch 2007 following her award for Social Enterprise Mentor of the Year in 2006.

The "Investing in Youth" conference by the Commonwealth Youth Programme , around how can entrepreneurs build skills to meet market demand.

The Inspiration for Life Student Conference, specifically for 'Gifted and Talented' students in England. The event brings together students and business organisations, to provide high potential young people with the inspiration and motivation to maximise and use their abilities.

Forum 3event. The only UK's only recruitment event for the Not For Profit Sector.

The launch of Innospace, a Business incubator that offers rent free space to Manchester Metropolitan University graduates with a big idea and business plan.

Conference of Entrepreneurship Education organised by Knowledge London. This conference considers consider how to encourage university staff to be more entrepreneurial, and how we engage with the large and diverse group of entrepreneurs and prospective entrepreneurs

"Heather was the star during induction day, at Thames Valley University Ealing in July 2006. As a Key Note Speaker at the start of our Enterprise plus, intensive one week programme for budding entrepreneurs, she held the audience in her hands. Feedback from the session commented on her realistic approach, serial entrepreneurship qualities and interest was gained around the networking forum she has successfully built up. It is always a challenge to wow young students embarking on a course, with Heather there to support us we know the first day will always get off to an excellent start!"
Clare Concannon, Lecturer / Training Consultant

"Heather spoke at the Young Enterprise Entrepreneurship Masterclass hosted at Arsenal FC in Enterprise Week 2005. This was an event open to all Islington Secondary Schools; with the aim of inspiring the participants to think about entrepreneurship as a viable career option. Heather shared her experience of being an entrepreneur and how her network; Striding Out, was conceived. She developed good rapport with the young people; speaking with both passion and enthusiasm."
James Mills, Development Manager, Young Enterprise London