Social entrepreneurs with ideas to support disadvantaged young people through alternative education can now access part of a £300,000 investment fund from the Young Foundation.
The Learning Launchpad fund - announced last week as a response to the challenges of the recession - offers investment for any organisation or individual across Britain with an idea to provide alternatives to traditional education to young people aged 14 to 25 years old.
Young Foundation director Geoff Mulgan said the recession would cut off young people from the chance of getting a job.
‘This will leave thousands without the skills and experience we'll need when the recovery comes,' said Mulgan.
‘There is no shortage of ideas about how to solve this - the challenge is to turn more promising ideas into sustainable projects, and channel people's passion and commitment into results on the ground.'
The fund will offer both support and finance for two stages of development. People starting out with a new idea will get stage one investments of up to £30,000, plus support. Organisations or initiatives that are already up and running and want to grow will get stage two investments of up to £100,000, plus support.
The support and incubation packages, offered as part of any investment, include business planning, marketing support, book keeping or simply access to contacts.
Learning Launchpad will be delivered by the Young Foundation in partnership with independent education foundation Edge and is open to applications from either individuals or emerging charities, social enterprises or mainstream business committed to delivering social change for young people.
Edge CEO Andy Powell said: ‘Learning Launchpad allows people to take risks and develop innovative new approaches to practical learning.'
For more information, visit www.learninglaunchpad.org
