By Ammar Mirza CBE
“I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way…”
Whitney Houston did not just sing those words. She gifted the world a reminder. A challenge. A responsibility.
Every time I hear that song, it stops me in my tracks. Because behind the melody sits something incredibly powerful. Hope.
Not fake hope. Not the kind wrapped up in slogans and soundbites. Real hope. The kind that says if we invest properly in children and young people, if we genuinely believe in them, then everything else changes too.
Growing up in the West End of Newcastle, opportunities were not always visible. Support certainly was not structured in the way it is discussed today. Many young people had talent, ideas, personality and potential, but no real roadmap. No one talking about entrepreneurship, innovation, confidence, communication or aspiration. You just tried to figure life out as best you could.
That stayed with me.
Which is why, when I was eventually given the opportunity, I became a school governor and later Chair of Governors, dedicating sixteen years of my life to education and seeing an entire generation grow up in front of me.
Now here is the important bit. I was never a teacher. I was never an education expert. But I was an enterprise one.
I understood business. I understood resilience. I understood communication, confidence, relationships and problem solving. I understood what happens when people are encouraged, empowered and believed in.
And increasingly I realised something worrying. Too many young people were being measured purely by academic outcomes, whilst many of their greatest strengths were being ignored.
Some of the most creative young minds I met did not fit neatly into boxes.
Some struggled with confidence.
Some struggled with behaviour.
Some struggled with traditional learning environments.
But many of them had brilliance inside them.
That is where PIE was born.
Primary Inspiration through Enterprise.
Or as I often joke, giving young people a proper slice of PIE.
Not just a programme. Not just another initiative. A movement.
A chance to help children discover who they are before the world tells them who they are supposed to be.
Over the years PIE has evolved into something incredibly special. We have seen young people develop confidence, communication skills, leadership, teamwork, resilience and aspiration. We have seen children who barely spoke stand on stages presenting ideas. We have seen teachers rediscover creativity. We have seen employers reconnect with purpose.
We have also introduced something genuinely groundbreaking through our partnership with the Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs. For the first time globally, vocational enterprise and entrepreneurship qualifications are now being introduced to primary aged children, creating a formal pathway from 6 to 60 plus.
Think about that for a moment.
A structured journey where children, parents, carers, teachers, employers and employees all become part of the same ecosystem of learning, growth and aspiration.
A true community.
A Life of PIE, if you like.
And here is the reality many people avoid talking about. When we discuss Health, Wealth and Happiness, the most critical factor is often wealth.
Not greed. Not excess. Opportunity.
Because money gives people options.
Without opportunity, health suffers. Stress rises. Confidence drops. Happiness becomes harder to sustain. Communities struggle.
That is why enterprise education matters so much. It is not simply about creating future business owners. It is about helping young people understand their own value, strengths and possibilities. It is about equipping them with life skills, adaptability and belief.
PIE focuses on strengths, not weaknesses.
Potential, not problems.
Possibility, not limitation.
And perhaps most importantly, belonging.
Because every child deserves to feel seen.
Heard. Valued. Inspired.
Whitney Houston was right.
The children are our future.
But futures do not build themselves.
They require investment. Encouragement. Community. Leadership and action.
So here is my call to action.
Whether you are a parent, teacher, business owner, policymaker, employer or simply someone who cares about the next generation, get involved. Mentor a young person. Support a school. Open doors. Share experiences. Create opportunities. Believe in potential before it fully reveals itself.
Teach them well. Then let them lead the way.
High Sheriff of Tyne and Wear, Ammar Mirza CBE, is Chair and Founder of ABConnexions & Executive Chair of the AmmarM Group. He also serves as Honorary Colonel of the 101st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery and holds a range of roles across the public and private sectors as a leader in inclusive innovation, investment and internationalisation.