Catch22 is working with Microsoft UK to deliver Digital Edge, a programme that opens pathways into digital careers for people facing barriers to employment. By designing and delivering a fresh pre-employment training program focusing on what support employers need to diversify their workforce, we’re helping young people re-imagine their futures and secure digital apprenticeships or jobs.
Funded by the Mayor of London’s Violence Reduction Unit and Google.org, we’ve partnered with Redthread to tackle youth violence and online behaviour. Our training programme teaches frontline workers how to have difficult conversations with at-risk young people about violent content on social media. We also teach young people skills in social media management to harness their skills for good.
The Barclays Connect with Work programme helps people aged 16+ who are facing barriers to work find education and employment opportunities. We work with high-growth businesses and entrepreneurs, including clients and suppliers, to open up their doors to new talent. Workshops and insight days also help volunteer professionals connect with people on the programme.
Our partnership with the NLCF offers an incubation and acceleration programme: two years of tailored support for social entrepreneurs for ideas that reimagine the delivery of public services. We offer a salary, co-working space, and access to our networks and services.
We’re piloting new ways of supporting young people leaving the care system into apprenticeships. Bright Light is delivered in partnership with The Children’s Society and funded by The Clothworkers’ Foundation. We believe apprenticeships offer an amazing opportunity to learn while you earn, boosting career opportunities within a supported environment.
Inspiring Connections, funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation, is a personal and professional development programme for people to gain the opportunities and momentum they need to take the next steps towards their career goal. This programme brings people with barriers to work together with a range of successful professionals to unlock social capital and help them get the right motivation and support.
London’s Violence Reduction Unit is focused on addressing the complex causes which lie behind young people becoming involved with, or being victims of, violent crime. That’s why we are investing in The Social Switch Project, which supports young people in building their creative and digital skills and which will continue to help many more young Londoners reach their true potential.
Lib Peck, Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit
Movement to Work is a charity coalition of the UK’s leading employers, civil society and government, supporting young people to break the ‘no job – no experience’ cycle that stops talented people getting into education, employment or training. Catch22 connects people facing barriers to work to the quality work placements in the Movement to Work network. Together, we want to open up opportunities, give young people a valuable experience of the workplace and bring about lasting social change.
FutureDotNow is a coalition of leading companies and civil society groups, working in collaboration with government to boost the UK’s digital skills. We have joined forces with FutureDotNow to work on our shared mission of driving change, to ensure that everyone across the UK can thrive in a digital world. By enhancing the UK’s digital skills, Catch22 seeks to empower individuals with the right skills for the future of work.
We build trust with our partners, getting to know them and solving problems together.
Our work is outreach based. We embed ourselves in local communities and tailor support to local need.
We design services with the people we’re supporting. They are experts in what they need; we listen and build new ideas together.
The Social Switch Project is switching the narrative on how social media’s relationship to youth violence is understood, tackled and solved. The Social Switch Project is an innovative three-pronged initiative to tackle youth violence: training frontline professionals on the challenges and opportunities of an online world, training young people in social media management to access digital careers, and awarding grants to grassroots community organisations.
The Social Switch Project has trained over 500 frontline professionals to be able to challenge harmful online activity and to talk about the opportunities a digital world presents. The free interactive training helps frontline professionals, like youth workers and teachers, answer questions like: “When is it OK to intervene with a young person’s online life?” and “How you can you encourage creativity and healthy personal expression online?”
Case Study: 17-year-old Anthony Owuso-Ansah had A Levels and some retail work experience, but his age and lack of opportunities meant he struggled to find a sustainable job. Through The Social Switch Project’s free three-week Social Media Training programme, his potential was highlighted by his Careers Coach. Following the programme, Anthony was offered a role as a Digital Marketing Apprentice at Google. Anthony and his family are ecstatic and feel positive about the direction of his future career.
The Social Switch Project has funded 30 grassroots projects across London, which support and engage young people in their communities. For example, with a grant from The Social Switch Project, the 1000 Black Boys project is organising events for young people with inspiring guest speakers and giving organisations that work with young people a platform to inspire future generations.
I want to use it as an opportunity to inspire other young people, especially from Wandsworth where I’m from, to see that you can be successful regardless of your circumstances. Taking on this role is not just about me furthering my career, it’s about me growing a following and platform to inspire young people.
Anthony Owuso-Ansah, The Social Switch Project - Social Media Training Participant
Digital Edge sees Catch22 find and recruit candidates aged 18 to 30 who face a range of challenges – from gender and ethnicity barriers, homelessness, and mental health issues, to school exclusion and disability. The programme supports these individuals to access digital roles with local employers within Microsoft’s network of customers and partners.
Leon Wilson, aged 22, lacked direction. He was unemployed and had low confidence when job searching which became a barrier to his career progress. No one in his family or network had knowledge about the IT industry, which left him feeling isolated. Through taking part in Digital Edge, Leon had the opportunity to complete virtual work experience with a start-up, where he developed his technical knowledge, completed IT courses and took part in telephone screenings. With his new-found confidence and self-belief, Leon shows great potential and is eager to be put forward to potential employers.
These disadvantaged young people are often exactly the people who, with the right help, could have hugely successful careers in the sector. They are the people we must make sure don’t get left behind in a world increasingly dominated by technology. We see their potential and I hope that what we learn through this partnership with Catch22 will help others see it too.”
Hugh Milward, Director of Corporate External and Legal Affairs at Microsoft UK
Delivered by Catch22 and The Children’s Society, and funded by The Clothworkers’ Foundation, the Bright Light programme focuses on supporting care leavers into apprenticeships. Young people leaving care often have to suddenly become independent adults; this programme supports them at a critical point in transition to find a supported career. We gather evidence to better understand the barriers they face, real and perceived, and support young people into apprenticeship placements. We work collaboratively with young people to develop solutions, share learnings and ultimately influence national policy.
[The Career Coach] has been such a support in my first interview, funding interview clothing and enabling me to get my foot in the door. The Career Coach was able to give me reassurance when I’ve been anxious, takes an interest in my family and [ensures] that I am making the most of the rights I have as a care leaver.
SHARAN BRIGHT LIGHT CANDIDATE
Catch22’s Director of Employability, Victoria Head, talks about the five actionable steps employers can take right now to have an impact.
Microsoft and Catch22 joined forces to help people facing barriers to work embark on digital apprenticeships.
The Social Switch Project received £200,000 in funding from London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), set up by the Mayor of London, to deliver the next phase of its mission.
Partnerships with organisations like Barclays and LinkedIn have allowed us to keep supporting individuals with barriers to work– all in a virtual setting!
Catch22's Chief Executive, Chris Wright, talks workplace diversity and the importance of employment for young people.
International law firm Baker McKenzie and Catch22 are collaborating to offer support to prisoners at HMP Thameside.
