19/11/2009
Ethical business bucks the trend of youth unemployment
Bucking the growing trend of youth unemployment, a groundbreaking new jobs programme celebrated its first placement today.
Gavin Ramsey, a 24 year old Tower Hamlets resident who has been out of work for over a year is celebrating his new job with Four Corners Film, an outstanding film and photography company working with young people in Bethnal Green.
Gavin is the first of London’s Future 500, a major new jobs initiative run by Social Enterprise London with funding from the Department for Work and Pensions through the Future Jobs Fund will support 500 of the most disadvantaged young people in the UK into ethical jobs with social enterprises.
The timing of his placement is particularly apt coming as it does on Social Enterprise Day, an international celebration of the power and impact of social enterprise in addressing the most complex social and environmental challenges through business.
The aim of London’s Future 500 is to tackle head on young people’s lack of opportunity and ambition. As well as providing opportunities in the shape of jobs with salaries, the programme will deliver coaching and training for the participants by a social enterprise itself, Striding Out, encouraging them to develop their ambition to become the next generation of social entrepreneurs.
Gavin said:
"I'm ecstatic to have found a job through the Future Jobs Fund. Desiring to work in such a notoriously difficult industry as the creative one I was worried I was going to become one of the supposed 'lost generation' but now I have found work at Four Corners. With such a diverse programme of events and providing so much to the local community and beyond I can't wait to become a part of the team!"
Carla Mitchell, Development Director of Four Corners Film said:
“We’re delighted that Gavin is able to take this opportunity. He’s a very talented young man who was unemployed until London’s Future 500 came along – that’s the power of this outstanding programme.”
Social Enterprise London Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton said:
“Youth unemployment is arguably the greatest social challenge facing the UK today – if we fail to address this the impact will be catastrophic.
Our programme provides jobs and channels young people’s natural inclination towards ethical business. We are creating the next generation of social entrepreneurs. I wish Gavin and the rest of the 500 every success in their new roles.”
Ends
For further information please contact Matt Jarratt, Membership and Communications Manager at Social Enterprise London on 020 7033 2645 or 07766 238322, or by email: matthew@sel.org.uk
Notes to editors:
1) Four Corners Film is a social enterprise based in Bethnal Green which provides training and development for aspiring filmmakers, and runs a photographic gallery. Legendary British film director Mike Leigh O.B.E says: "Four Corners is unique and very special. It is one of the only organisations in the country genuinely concerned with practical grass-roots filmmaking". http://www.fourcornersfilm.co.uk/
2) London’s Future 500 is run by Social Enterprise London and is funded by the Department of Work and Pensions under the Future Jobs Fund.
3) Social Enterprise London (SEL) works to establish the capital as one of the foremost social enterprise communities. SEL is a specialist agency that promotes community, best practice and skills development for the social enterprise sector. For more information visit www.sel.org.uk
4) The Future Jobs Fund is a £1 billion Fund run by the Department of Work and Pensions to which organisations can bid to create around 150,000 new jobs. This is a new approach to create jobs and provide hope for young people and jobseekers in deprived communities. More info
5) SEL runs a network of over 1850 social enterprises in London, and provides outstanding business support and guidance to social enterprises from pre start-up stage to full maturity. It has achieved particular impact in its development of a groundbreaking model for social impact assessment (Social Impact for Local Economies) and in founding the influential Social Enterprise Journal.
6) The SEL Board is made up of some of London’s most innovative social entrepreneurs including Chair Mark Sesnan, Managing Director of Greenwich Leisure Limited and Vice-Chair Sophi Tranchell, Managing Director of Divine Chocolate Ltd.
7) There are estimated to be around about 62,000 social enterprises in the UK, with about 3300 located in the capital. Well-known social enterprises in London include Greenwich Leisure Limited, Catch-22, HCT, Coin Street Community Builders and Fifteen.