Reducing marginalisation through engaging with business

The ‘Everyone’s Business’ Pilot is a community and voluntary sector led programme of work, that will provide young people (aged 16-25) from disadvantaged and marginalised communities opportunities to thrive.

Everyone’s Business aims to create employment opportunities within communities and reduce the risk of marginalisation, as well as to provide the foundations for sustainable community involvement by:

• Supporting young people to become ambassadors and leaders in their local areas.
• Providing role model programmes, mentoring support or therapeutic support for at risk young people. 
• Providing young people with access to employment and entrepreneurial support programmes, and social and business networks.
• Providing activities and community events that celebrate diversity, cultural achievement and cohesion.
• Supporting networking between community led organisations; disseminating good practice across voluntary sector organisations and supporting innovation, so that networking can be sustained at the conclusion of the project.

As main delivery partner for the project, the East London Business Alliance (ELBA) will be mobilising the expertise of the 70+ businesses with whom they have existing relationships, to identify ways in which we can collaboratively support at risk young people into meaningful employment.

ELBA will be working closely with Barking and Dagenham Giving and local organisations that have a proven track record of successfully engaging at risk young people, to understand the key ways in which they could benefit from engagement with the Business Sector, i.e. by:

• Providing organisational support to the networks of grassroots organisations that already exist within the boroughs, e.g. management training, strategic advice, governance, and trustee recruitment.
• Providing employability and essential skills support, delivered by individuals within the business sector e.g. mentoring, employability workshops, leadership skills for young people etc.
• Helping young people move into employment by providing opportunities for workplace visits, work experience, work shadowing, CV support, and interview practice etc. Once individuals are better prepared for the world of work, they will also have access to ELBA’s vast existing network of employer contacts who can offer them placements, internships and job opportunities. 

We are looking for partners now so if your organisation works with at risk young people and you think they could benefit from the support of business please reach out now!