We Rise, a Brixton social enterprise, needs your support to raise £12,000 over the next couple of weeks to run its 2020 Youth Connect Programme that aims to up-skill hundreds of disadvantaged youngsters and connect them with local professionals from different career sectors.
We Rise is crowdfunding to run the programme for next year. You can show your support here.
We Rise was founded two years ago to fill a need to connect school students with mentors from the world of work and provide meaningful work experience.
It was set up by a group of parents with a shared passion to tackle social disadvantage by helping young people make the difficult transition from school to work.
Founder Abigail Melville said: “We have achieved so much in the two years since we launched. We’re proud to have worked with 500 young people, most from black and minority ethnic backgrounds. We’ve built their knowledge and skills through inspirational work experience, coaching, employer visits and networking. We’ve also engaged over 150 volunteers, employers and professionals.
“We Rise has an income stream from projects that young people deliver for clients, but to grow the organisation needs a financial boost to engage more young people, and make more community impact.”
Abigail says: “As parents we all want a good future our kids. But while Lambeth has growing wealth and opportunity, three out of five children are growing up in poverty.
“We support young people to develop their confidence and sense of themselves. We run networking events that create positive and meaningful connections with professionals.
“We develop talent and creativity through real work. We win commissions for research and media projects that provide high quality work experience for young people and create real value for clients.”
Maya, a young woman at the crowdfunding launch blew the audience away when she shared her powerful story about how she wishes We Rise had been around when she was a teenager.
“Young people like her are the reason We Rise was founded,” Abigail said and the reason we are running a Crowdfunder campaign.
Maya told the launch meeting:
“ I wish I had met more people who could have guided me when I was young.
“I wish I’d had opportunities to explore what industry and role would suit me best.
“I wish I’d had the chance to meet people in different jobs and learn from them.
“I wish that I had been able to attend events where I could find out what experience and qualifications are required.
“I wish I had been able to have more work experience.
“I wish I’d had We Rise.
