Press release, July 2019: Crowdfund success for work placement scheme
Following a month long crowdfunder campaign, Collaborative Future has today [18th July 2019] secured its target to launch an innovative work experience scheme from Nottingham’s contemporary coworking space, Works Social.
The scheme, run by Collaborative Future, a social enterprise which supports diverse groups to collaborate, has crowdfunded to secure support to launch a Nottingham pilot scheme from September 2019. It aims to create inclusive spaces where people can thrive, by partnering young adults with freelancers and start ups to provide access to a range of work experience opportunities to develop entrepreneurial skills.
Supported by main sponsors Works Social, tech businesses and networks including Cleo.ai, Armakuni and Tech Nottingham, as well as freelancers, friends and family across the country, ‘The Crowd’ has raised over £3,400 through Crowdfunder.co.uk.
Tessa Cooper, Founder of Collaborative Future said: “This is a fantastic achievement, thank you to everyone who has generously given their backing to get this pilot off the ground. Everyone’s support will enable us to offer flexible, paid work placements for young people not in full-time education or full-time employment and provide a wide-range of transferable skills that can help them find full-time employment or inspire them to set up their own business.”
Han van Oudheusden, co-founder of Works Social said: “We see this having real future potential, so that one day working for yourself at a young age is considered another career path, just like going to University, doing an apprenticeship or working for a business. This feels like it is the start of something that we could see on a National scale and we are proud to be supporting it in its infancy. The project will no doubt open up opportunities for mutual and meaningful collaborations for both the young people involved and our members.”
The innovative work placement scheme will support young people (18-24 year olds) not in full-time education and employment to access flexible two-week work placements within a community of freelancers and small businesses, based out of contemporary coworking space, Works Social.
A launch event is planned for September 5th at Works Social, more details to follow. In the meantime, Nottingham based freelancers and small businesses are being invited to commit between from one day up to one week of time to take on a young person to support with projects in October/November 2019. Young people and businesses can register their interest in the scheme here.
ENDS
Image:
Left to right: Big Old House, Lise Garner-Morgan co-founder of Works Social, Tessa Cooper, founder of Collaborative Future and Han van Oudheusden, co-founder of Works Social – the main sponsor of the scheme, with the latest additions to the collaboration