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As the 2025 Young Entrepreneurs Challenge applications begin to flood in, we thought we’d catch up with our 2024 Winner Ethan Waisberg to reflect on the process and how he found the whole experience.
The 2024 Grand Final event was held at Verizon’s Headquarters in Holborn, London, with leaders from across industry sectors gathering to witness our young hopefuls pitch their business ideas to our panel of judges, including ex Dragon’s Den star Piers Linney.
Ethan competed with strong contenders from across Europe to win £10,000, mentorship, a technology support package to help kickstart his business proposal, and a trip to the One Young World 2024 Global Summit.
With a strong pitch and well defined business plan, Ethan talked about his product AngioGenius. With eye disease screening programs worldwide not performing well enough and millions around the world to going blind, Ethan developed an app where anyone can take a photo of their eye at home to help detect and monitor eye disease progression.
From his research work with NASA astronauts, Ethan found a way to use Generative AI to allow the eyes of astronauts to be better monitored while in spaceflight, where limited imaging equipment exists. Ethan is bringing this same technology to Earth with AngioGenius at a fraction of the cost to current and widely used eye disease screening programs.
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Ethan, it’s so great to catch up with you following your 2024 win! Tell us, how did you find entering the Young Entrepreneurs Challenge?
The application process was really easy and straightforward. I didn’t need any support or advice during the process, as I just had to record a 60 second video explaining my idea.
Once you found out you were a finalist, how did you find the experience attending the Grand Final?
During my train ride to London, I reflected on the exciting opportunity to be in the finals and pitch my company to a large audience. I arrived in London the day before the competition, so I was able to relax and explore the city. I was not nervous as I felt prepared.
The Unloc and Verizon teams were welcoming, supportive and they greeted me with warm smiles and genuine enthusiasm. They were dedicated to bringing out the best in the finalists, and created a friendly, less competitive atmosphere.
Was there anything that you were afraid of?
As a clinician and scientist, my biggest fear was that I might not be able to convey all the important aspects of my business idea within the allotted time for the pitch.
As someone who has conducted research in this area for the past 5+ years, I had a wealth of detailed information to share with the audience and judges. Nevertheless, I was able to be concise during my pitch and prioritize key messages.
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What did you think of the other finalists and their business ideas?
It was really exciting to meet the other finalists, and to learn about their interesting business ideas. It’s tough to pick only one idea that stood out from the other finalists, since they each had a lot of potential and were all very impressive.
As I interacted with the finalists, I couldn’t help but admire the passion and creativity behind their business ideas.
How did it go when it was time to deliver your pitch to the Judges?
Overall, I was happy with how my pitch went. I felt that I was able to effectively communicate the value proposition and core ideas of my business idea and that I had captured the attention of the judges and audience.
Moreover, the Judges asked insightful and thought-provoking questions, which challenged me to delve deeper into various aspects of my company and provide detailed explanations. I appreciated this opportunity to further elaborate on key points.
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How did you feel when you were named the winner?
I was surprised and elated to be chosen as the grand prize winner! I felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment and validation for the sacrifices that I made along the way to reach this point.
What do you intend to do with the grand prize money?
I plan on using this prize money to conduct further clinical testing of my idea. Clinical testing is a crucial step to not only validate the safety and efficacy of my solution, but to also provide insights to further refine and optimize my business idea.
What advice would you give to other young people out there considering entering the 2025 competition?
My advice would be to not think twice about applying! Never doubt your abilities and ideas. I had entered the competition hoping to make an impact, and never imagined I would win.
Ethan thank you so much for catching up with us today, you were an absolutely outstanding entrant and a well deserved winner. We’ll be watching your progress closely and can’t wait to see all the amazing things you do next!
The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge 2025 is now open for entries! If you’re 16–25 and have a fresh & innovative tech-led idea – The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge 2025 could help you get your business off the ground, or if you’ve already launched a business, boost it to the next level.
There’s a staggering £10,000 up for grabs, as well as a mentorship package and entry to the One Young World Global Summit, so what are you waiting for? Apply now!
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Click here for more information or to apply!
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Our latest impact report for the 2023-24 academic year is now available! Inside you’ll find a whole wealth of information of the work we’ve been carrying out in schools and colleges across the UK over the past 12 months, as well as case studies, interviews and insights into the work and projects we’ve formed with young people and partners such as Verizon Business, Burberry, Juniper Networks, GRP Solutions and Palo Alto Networks.
Gain insight into the past year with stats such as:
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There’s also coverage of the 2024 Young Entrepreneurs Challenge, our Young Women in Tech programme, Inpsring Change, Portsmouth Inspires, One Young World, Seed 2030, school and college forums, Changemaker Moments, the release of the fantastic rap track to stand up against Knife Crime and Youth Violence, our General Election Special Events and a whole lot more!
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View below to read the report or download at the link underneath
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Unloc and Verizon Business have launched The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge for 2025, an annual event that seeks to identify the best young talent across Europe with innovative business ideas.
The winner will receive £10,000 (€11,750*), mentorship and a technology package to launch their business. In addition, they will also receive a ticket to attend the Global One Young World 2025 Munich Summit.
This entrepreneurship competition for young people aims to encourage and attract the dynamic new business leaders of tomorrow. Now in its seventh year, the challenge is open to European entrepreneurs aged between 16-25 years old who can submit their technology-led start-up business concepts online.
“Each year, The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge identifies and brings to light amazing young talent from across the UK and Europe and it is a privilege to be able to help encourage and support tomorrow’s entrepreneurs,” said Sanjiv Gossain, General Manager and Head of EMEA for Verizon Business. “Young entrepreneurs in Europe often face challenges related to accessing funding and mentorship, so to play a role in enabling their ideas to come to fruition and be presented on the global stage, is very important to Verizon Business.”
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“We are in a landscape where technological ideas are becoming the clear catalyst for addressing and resolving some of the most complex challenges in sustainability, climate change and health, so investing in the next generation of leaders and their ideas plays a fundamental part in addressing these challenges,” said Hayden Taylor, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Unloc.
“Every year we’re overwhelmed with the business minds of young entrepreneurs and in a year that has been dominated by the advancement of emerging tech, we’re very excited to see the ideas that entrants submit for the next Young Entrepreneurs Challenge.
“2024’s winner, Ethan Waisberg, impressed the expert judges with his app, AngioGenius, which allows anyone to take a photo of their eye at home to help detect and monitor eye disease progression. His research work with NASA astronauts and the integration of generative AI into the app was extremely impressive, and the funding from Unloc and Verizon will now enable him to carry out clinical trials and help reduce eye disease progression worldwide. We cannot wait to see what innovation young changemakers envision this year.”
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To enter, entrants are asked to record a 60-90-second video, as well as complete an online application form outlining their business idea. Applications will be judged based on their viability, technology innovation and sustainability.
Finalists will then compete head-to-head in a grand finale held in March 2025, pitching their business concept live to a panel of expert judges and invited guests representing both the worlds of business and education.
Apply by January 17, 2025 at YEC25.COM
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To read about last year’s Grand Final and Ethan’s win click here
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Notes for Journalists
About – Unloc
Unloc was founded in 2013 by award-winning young leaders Hayden Taylor and Ben Dowling. The organisation’s mission is to empower young people to be innovative changemakers who seek to build stronger communities and sustainable businesses. The organisation is focused on developing young people’s skills, enhancing their potential and boosting their determination to succeed. Unloc works towards achieving its mission by delivering inspiring educational programmes, including on entrepreneurship and self-employment, in our network of 100+ schools and colleges in the UK and beyond.
To find out more about Unloc and all our latest news visit: unloc.org.uk/news
About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology, communications, information and entertainment products and services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $128.3 billion in 2020. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.
VERIZON’S ONLINE MEDIA CENTER: News releases, stories, media contacts and other resources are available at verizon.com/news. News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/.
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The ballots are counted, the seats are filled, and collectively, the entire country is waiting to see how the new government kicks into gear. It’s been a tumultuous time, a different election to any we’ve experienced before. So what did we, as specialists supporting young people to be changemakers, learn during this period?
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Covid, Brexit and Cost of Living – the last few years have felt like a rollercoaster; so young people felt compelled to get involved in the debate
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The General Election was an eye opener for many of us, and the Academic sector was no exception. Working with young people in schools and colleges across the country each day, we have seen young people more interested and invested in political debate during this year’s election (and whilst the data is not yet readily available, it’s expected that the chasm between 18-24 year olds and 65+ in terms of voter turnout will have shrunk).
‘Why is that?’ That’s a complicated question. There’s no doubt that we live in complex times, and young people – more than many other sections of society, have faced huge disruptions to their lives over the past four years, especially because of the Covid19 pandemic. Whilst many workers nationwide were furloughed, young people were expected to carry on and achieve just as much – all be it from the safety of their home, or behind protective screens, masks and social distancing in schools.
From their routines being abandoned, their educations hugely impacted, confinement inside the house during lockdowns, and perhaps most importantly – being isolated from their friends and peers at a time when socialisation is so vitally important to their development, their mental health and their sense of general wellbeing.
Add to this the perception of a lack of job opportunities and work experience for young people, housing costs soaring, waiting lists for mental health assessments and counselling reaching three years, Brexit and the Cost of Living crisis – many young people have felt like they’ve been strapped into a rollercoaster and thus (in the main) did one of two things; the majority engaged in this general election with vigour, energy and interest particularly motivated by their own recent rollercoaster-like lived experiences, or sadly, they disconnected altogether.
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Many young people were surprised to discover an Election can turn into a shouting match
Indeed this was never more evident here than during the series of televised election debates and Question Time specials, where the British public were witness to shouting, accusations, fingers in people’s faces, and aggressive and confrontational behaviour that many young people found surprising. In the build up to the election, we showed the BBC’s Election Debate highlights reel to hundreds of young people and the near-unanimous response was shock – is this how we ‘do’ politics in this country?
This feeling was emboldened by the campaign’s reliance on rhetoric; where conflation and confusion between what is truthful, facts or policy is mainstream. This ran counter to many of the young people I spoke to in the build up to 4th July, who were genuinely interested in talking about and debating the issues and policies that matter to them the most.
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I think young people expected more from the National Debate around the future of our country – yearned for more meaningful conversation and discussion. With Unloc’s Public Speaking and Debating programme as one of our core offers, we’ve shown young people for over a decade how to have constructive debate, embrace nuance and compassionately and considerately engage with people and situations where a difference of opinion is apparent.
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The top 5 things young people told us they want from the new government
At Unloc we proudly play an impartial role in connecting young changemakers to policymakers, politicians and activists – giving them access to those in society that can help make a difference, and helping to create platforms for young people’s voices to be heard. With the General Election announced far earlier than anyone expected, we recognised this eagerness in young people to be actively involved in what was happening, and identified that they had little platforms to do so. Whilst lots of these young people won’t have been old enough to vote this time around – it was evident that they have plenty to say about our future society.
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So, during the build up to the General Election, we invited young people from across our network to attend a series of events that provided space for them to meet with representatives from all major parties – and discuss, face to face, the issues they care about most.
Events were held in our Changemaker Studios: Westminster space and also in our Changemaker Studios: Portsmouth space, where respected members from the Labour Party, The Conservatives, The Green Party, The Liberal Democrats and Reform UK agreed to take part and face tough questions from young people in person. These events were the brainchild of Unloc’s Youth Board – instead of a traditional hustings or question time event, they wanted to give young people dedicated time with candidates in small groups, enabling discussions and conversations that go beyond the soundbites.
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Whilst a plethora of topics and issues were explored, here are the top 5 themes that were most prominent:
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1. Investing in Mental Health Services
Many young people feel that waiting lists for CAMHS support remain unjustifiably long and that schools remain under-resourced and under-prepared to properly meet the wellbeing needs of learners
2. Investing In Life Skills
A significant number of the young people feel that education needs yet further connectivity to industry and the wider world, so young people can better understand the relevance of their learning. At the same time, many feel knowledge critical to transitioning to adulthood should find its way into mainstream education including mortgages, savings, budgeting and personal nutrition.
3. Taking Action on Climate
Climate was a discussion on nearly every table during our General Election events. Young people on the whole want a more ambitious, exciting roadmap for taking action on climate change.
4. Ensuring House Ownership is Affordable
A significant number of young people shared their fears and concerns about the affordability of home ownership for their generation. Many expressed a desire for the government to do more to ensure young people can get on the property ladder, whilst also ensuring that critical infrastructure was in place (doctors, local services etc) if the Government was going to move forward with their house building plans.
5. A Government That Invests In Young People’s Participation
Lots of the audience spoke passionately about the wide chasm that exists between political decision makers and younger people. They want a government that invests in opportunities for young people to be democratically active and engaged in civic life.
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Supporting young people to be changemakers has never been more important
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As the new Labour Government kicks into gear over the coming months, we know that Unloc can continue to play a powerful role in connecting young changemakers with the policymakers that serve them. We met the Prime Minister, Sir Kier Starmer, a few months ago, and pressed the message that the new Government needs to invest in young people as changemakers and directly invest in their ideas; unlocking their potential to be drivers of social progress and change.
Over the next five years, Unloc will continue to push to ensure young people are front and centre of future government policy.
We will continue to take an active part in giving young people a voice, connecting them with government and politics, with speaking and debating, and with leadership – and through our workshops, programmes, Changemaker grants and Changemaker Studios spaces – we will scale our support available to young people who step up as Changemakers.
Hayden Taylor is the 27-year old Chief Executive of Unloc
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We’re thrilled to reveal that we and our partners Verizon Business won not just one, but two awards at The Better Society Awards 2024! The event, held a few days ago, saw leading businesses from across the UK come together at the London Marriot Hotel in Grosvenor Square for a stunning night of celebration, where leaders from across all sectors were recognised for their contributions and positive impact on society and improving the lives of others.
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Through our combined work via the Unloc Changemaker Alliance, we were thrilled to pick up two awards, joining winners from major industry leaders including British Airways, Deloitte, Santander, MacMillan, The National Youth Advocacy Service, Octopus Energy, Vodafone, the NSPCC and Omaze (to name but a few).
The first award is for the National Commitment to Skills & Training Award, something we at Unloc are hugely proud of as we roll out our skills focused programmes, workshops and bootcamps across the UK.
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The second award is the Philanthropy Award category, given to celebrate individuals and organisations who advance innovation, new solutions, and demonstrate meaningful progress in a community, association, or other nonprofit organisation.
Talent and opportunity in the UK is often mis-aligned, with young people growing up in the most challenging socio-economic communities facing life expectancies up-to 6 years below the national average and lifetime income earning potential up-to 40% below the national benchmark (such as Portsmouth). Our joint skills and training programmes are helping to redress this imbalance.
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This uniquely collaborative approach between a global corporate, and our own non-for-profit skills and training organisation has:
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Unloc’s Managing Director Hayden Taylor said:
“We are over the moon that alongside our partners Verizon we’ve been recognised with two National Awards for our work supporting young people from disadvantaged communities to become changemakers and achieve their potential. Our teams, alongside countless volunteers, put huge amounts of hard work and energy to bring to life our unique and innovative programmes in schools, colleges and communities across the country – this award recognises all they do.”
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Xavier White, Verizon Businesses Head of EMEA Social Purpose & Senior ABM Lead said:
“These wins are a recognition of the amazing partnership between Verizon Business and Unloc. Together we’ve worked to create opportunities for young people, championing sustainability, inclusion and diversity, STEM access, and skills training, all of these leading to wider career options for the next generation. I’m grateful that this award has been able to shine a spotlight on the impact that businesses can have upon the community, especially when they work with organisations who have an intimate understanding of said community. Unloc are experts in empowering young people from all backgrounds – when big business and non-for-profit join forces, the impact can be vast!”
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The outcomes described above are the combined results of the six bespoke and innovative programmes in entrepreneurship, leadership, career pathways and amplifying student voices, which are curated and delivered by Unloc’s expert youth-focused facilitation team, working in close collaboration with Verizon employee mentors, guest speakers and industry experts. These are:
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Changemaker Challenge Enterprise Days
These day-long events take place in schools across the country with a particular focus on the most deprived communities, reaching more than 10,000 young people every year. They inspire young people to explore what it means to be a changemaker, including widening their career horizons and putting their entrepreneurial skills to the test through a series of social business challenges.
Each event brings together between 30 and 100 primary or secondary school students to learn about the life and career journeys of local entrepreneurs, Verizon employees and participate in entrepreneurial skill building workshops. Each day culminates in a ‘changemaker challenge’, whereby a team of young people work together to identify and develop an entrepreneurial solution to a real-life social, environmental or economic issue.
Unloc Academies
Our 3-month long Leadership and Enterprise academies develop the skills of more than 1000 passionate young people annually, supporting them to successfully tackle a solution to an issue they or their peers have faced in their schools, colleges or communities. For those participating in the Leadership Academy, Unloc provides practical instruction in project planning, facilitation and effective communication, as well as building personal confidence and leadership. Enterprise Academy students gain skills in business planning, market testing, setting up a business, financial management and more from entrepreneurs and Verizon employees and volunteers.
I AM:
I AM is a new kind of social change incubator putting 100 young people annually at the heart of tackling issues around equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), whilst developing their life-long employability. For 6 months, young people from across Portsmouth and London come together over 4 immersive weekends of training and collaboration to learn about EDI and apply what they have learn to create and implement social change projects, with the support of community leaders, local professionals, specialist consultants, and democratically-elected representatives Following participation, 100% of young people say they feel more inspired to do something different or take action in the future, and 92% say they want to take part in similar programmes.
EDI Changemaker Days
Running alongside I AM, EDI Changemaker Days take place in 5 schools in disadvantaged communities and deliver an immersive day-long experience on EDI and racial justice for 1000 young people each year. With the help of the Unloc team and Verizon mentors, students build their own in-school campaigns to tackle a problem or address a challenge that impacts their lives.
The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge
The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge is an annual event that identifies and encourages young entrepreneurial talent. Now in its 5th year, the challenge provides the opportunity for any young person aged 16-25 with an innovative technology-led, business idea to apply for a grant of £10,000, plus mentorship, training and specialist pro-bono expertise, to help them translate their idea into a successful social enterprise or business. To date, 35 young people have been supported, with their ventures in turn employing more than 250 people.
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During the February half-term and Easter holidays this year, 53 young people, in Year 11 and 12, from across Portsmouth participated in our ‘Portsmouth Inspires’ Programme, funded by NCS. This was an intensive 3-day programme which enabled the young people to connect with their community, develop skills for life and unlock career pathways they might have never imagined.
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Throughout the 3-days the group had the amazing opportunity to experience ‘behind the scenes’ visits to a range of businesses unique to Portsmouth, such as; Victorious Festival, The Southsea Deli, South Coast Cookery, Nike Unite Portsmouth and BH Live Active.
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Alongside the visits the young people also got stuck into various masterclasses to further develop their skills for the future world of work. These included cookery masterclasses, high energy activities, behind the scenes at retail and the festival scene, and using the wide range of facilities at BH Live.
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We want to say a huge thank you to the organisations and businesses that supported this programme, we really appreciate you providing the access and opportunities to young people that they wouldn’t normally get the chance to experience.
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The feedback from the young people showed how great it was to gain career insights from real-life experiences!The young people on the programme had lots of positive things to say about their experiences!
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“It was amazing! I met new friends as Unloc gave me the opportunity to meet new people. Additionally it improved my confidence and social skills. Unloc also showed me many new job opportunities”
“The programme had a variety of new experiences that I never thought about doing and has taught me a lot to help me benefit in my future. It also gave me a lot more confidence to talk to strangers.”
“It’s been great fun! Jess and the other staff members involved have been amazing in providing us the experience of work whilst also maintaining our energy with creative and group activities. I highly recommend this program again!!!”
“It was practical and different and wasn’t just sitting down whilst people talk to you and you have to write down what they are saying. It was actually interesting and engaging.”
“The best thing about the programme was having the chance to hang out with my friends whilst gaining knowledge on different careers and life skills”
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We’re looking for a passionate & creative young person aged 16-25 in the Portsmouth or London areas to become our first official social media influencer. It’s a great opportunity for someone aspiring to break into influencing, build their CV and portfolio, as well as networking with professionals and people that could help their career develop.
To apply you’ll need:
* an eye for what makes a great shot
* a good ear for music
* the confidence to talk to other young people
* to be happy in front of the camera
* great editing kills with TikTok
* the ability to travel across the area to attend events
* the ability to commit to at least one post per week
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You’ll get exclusive access behind the scenes at our wide range of events, programmes and bootcamps, get to meet a lot of interesting people, mix with fellow young people, and meet colleagues from our partner organisations including Verizon, Burberry, Juniper Networks, Palo Alto and GRP Solutions. Your mission will be to highlight the exciting work going on, who we are, and what we do to empower young people to become changemakers.
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Think you’ve got what it takes?
Email [email protected] telling us a little bit about yourself and your interests, what your ambitions are, any relevant experience you have, and send three examples (or links to examples) of your TikTok videos or similar video work so we can get an idea for your style.
Closing date for applications is Monday 13th May
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This year’s 2024 Young Entrepreneurs Challenge was extra special for Unloc and our partners Verizon Business, as not only did we feature our most impressive finalists yet, we also launched an all new category for young people with the initial sparks of an idea! Concepts and business ideas come in all shapes and sizes, and whilst not every idea that gets submitted may be far enough along in its development to make it through to the final, we received so many high quality applications that we couldn’t let that talent pass by without doing something to help such inspiring young people take that first step to success.
With this in mind we created a new Ignite Tier which was launched at this year’s Grand Final event in London. This new tier saw us selecting 5 lucky finalists to compete for a new Ignite Grant of £1000 / 1,200 € to kickstart their concept and ignite their business idea.
We then opened up the vote online to allow people to vote for their three winners, with each receiving the funding to help kick-start their business idea. The votes flooded in, and three winners were announced!
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Georgina Lee – aged 16 from the UK
Georgina’s idea was for a portable sign language translator hoping to improve the quality of education of those who cannot verbally communicate. The £1000 would be used to create a prototype using a small camera, small speaker, and learning how the optic flow within the sensor is going to work. Georgina said:
“My company is USS (you speak sign) a non-profit organisation dedicated to the inclusion of all abilities in this world of technology. Our team consists of myself, a team leader, our research team of Maisha Maryam and Ibtehal Babar and our head of design Aliana Al Khalil. We all attend the same school and have been amazing friends for many years! Our product is a portable sign language translator hoping to improve the quality of education of those who cannot verbally communicate. Designed to improve the lives of deaf people who are nonverbal, and meets their needs in a new way by considering other aspects of sign language (body language) that was ignored by other solutions.
We were inspired by our classmates as we go to the only deaf catering school in our area to help them within our lessons because we couldn’t do much for them. They often became isolated not by choice but simply by the fact that they couldn’t communicate which we thought was unfair. We also recognised that for everyone to learn sign wouldn’t be feasible. To tackle this problem we started small by learn to sign ourselves every Thursday lunchtime! We spent time with those who are deaf of varying severity and learnt about their needs and concerns. We gathered information and started our research by looking into technology that has already been created for our fellow students.
Despite the technology existing, we have utilised it in an original way by including things such as gesture recognition, or allowing our product to include other types of sign language, increasing its versatility. We would use the £1000 in order to create a prototype to bring life to our portable translator. It requires high technology and expert in order to help us build the prototype so this is what I would invest the money into. We will also invest into buying the parts, and actually physically building this Translator in order to see the viability of It. We are looking to buy small camera, small speaker, and learn how the optic flow within the sensor is going to work. We will also invest in experts in these fields in order to better develop our own understanding of this new technology!”
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Martina Criniti – aged 25 from Italy
Martina’s idea is the creation of a structure for use in the sea that can be turned into a basket with a double filtering function that keeps things contained and prevents them from spreading out. The idea aims to reduce plastics and microplastics in the coastal waters and rivers, primarily. The €1,200 would be used to conduct research and seek out researchers from both European institutions and Nationals who are interested in the advancement of this concept. I also consider large corporations. The objective is to develop a product that can be immediately placed on the market. Martina said:
“No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world”.
Robin Williams
“This quote resonates deeply with me as it reflects my life, attitude, and unwavering determination. Despite criticism of my ideas, I have always believed in their potential to make a difference. That is why, I am incredibly grateful and honored to have been selected by the Young Entrepreneur Challenge for the Ignite category giving me such an unparalleled opportunity. I am an Italian law and international relations student at the University of Genoa. Last year, during my second year of university, I was inspired to tackle the issue of plastic pollution.
Through extensive research and development, I've created a sustainable solution to reduce plastic waste and protect marine life. Being passionate about environmental sustainability since my high school days, I participated in the simulations of the United Nations as a delegate and advocate general, where I learned about sustainable resources and measures to reduce plastics and microplastics in the ocean. Since that time, I have dedicated myself to solving the issue of plastic pollution. After being called in for years on technical and legislative solutions in proposing solutions and actions at the international law level by collaborating and cooperating with delegates during the UN simulations, last year, I decided to put into practice a system able to capture and collect all kind of plastic and microplastics at its source: rivers and coastal waters.
Few devices are used in these areas, creating a discrepancy in how actions are taken where plastic pollution habitually floats and its origins. The idea, which underwent different stages and modifications, aims to collect plastics and filter microplastics using a combination of mechanical and robotic installations and applications. The structure is environmentally friendly, and technological devices make it self-sustaining without external or ground-bound energy sources. The structure also includes a detector, protecting marine life and preventing their engulfment.
Furthermore, it employs AI technology, which is advantageous in the current market and helps people achieve their objectives. The goal is to reduce plastic by 2050 and achieve goals 6, 13, and 14 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The idea is decisive since the structure can be used in a large-scale application, not sectoral. It can be installed in diverse areas, including rivers and territorial waters, and in diverse circumstances as it can be employed in small, medium, and large boats, for example.
The funds will be allocated toward researching and implementing the concept, ensuring its efficacy and promptness as I will organise research collaborations and introduce the project to diverse international and national organisations and companies as well as research institutions. I sincerely appreciate your support: your belief in me and in my idea has been truly empowering.“
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Harry Smith – aged 25 from the UK
Harry’s idea is a device for generating energy from the waves in the sea. It’s comprised of a series of tubes with magnetic floats in, which bob up and down with wave action and form a linear alternator. This energy is then rectified and can be fed back to the grid or used locally as a generator would. The £1,000 would fund tests in the sea with the current prototype, which would help to gather data on possible output levels, which informs suitable use cases. Harry said:
“OnJoule was founded to help meet the world’s increasing energy needs by harnessing the power of the sea. I have had a life-long passion for engineering and all things marine which led me a few years ago to build myself a narrowboat from scratch to live on. While aboard of an evening, it’s impossible to ignore the lapping of water against the outside of the hull, even on quiet inland waterways. This made me think about ways of harnessing this power and doing something useful with it, consequently OnJoule came into existence.
The core technology behind OnJoule is a series of light floating magnets within a much heavier floating platform. As a wave passes the light magnetic floats bob up and down significantly more than the heavy platform, which causes relative motion, which can be harnessed into electricity. Unlike existing wave energy technologies it requires no costly infrastructure, and has no wearing parts, so can be at sea for an extended period of time. As the technology is modular it suits multiple sizes of application, from something small enough to be rapidly deployed as a replacement for a petrol generator through to grid level infrastructure.
OnJoule is in its infancy currently and so the prototype of the technology is relatively crude and small, and not yet suitable to reveal to the world! The next stage for the business is to develop this prototype and refine the technology, to increase efficiency and by the end of the year have something that can be demonstrated publicly to promote wave power as a viable addition to renewable technologies, test the technology in real world conditions and use it to demonstrate to investors to raise a pre seed round of funding.
The grant money is going to be incredibly useful to spend on the development of this prototype- it unlocks the next stage of product development and enables the purchase of materials to prototype with, which is crucial with any hardware based start up. My last start up, HausBots, who make wall-climbing robots, was started in a similar way- use competition and grant money to build a basic prototype to demonstrate to investors, raise investment then use that money to build a truly great product for customers to use!
We all have the capacity to build a better future for humanity, and as an engineer I see it as my duty to at least try to build things that can help to solve some of the massive problems the world faces. The need for energy generation is only going up, so our ways of generating it need to become ever greener to cope, which requires ever more innovations such as OnJoule.”
Our three Winners have some brilliant concepts to unleash upon the world, and thanks to the new Ignite funding it will allow them to progress their ideas – and help make their dreams a reality. Watch this space!
This week, from the 2nd to the 8th of April it’s World Autism Acceptance Week, seven days dedicated to raising awareness of the challenges and barriers that people on the autistic spectrum face, of educating others, sharing experiences, celebrating success, and fundraising to help provide better support for those dealing with autism.
Autistic people can often face discrimination and meet barriers across all sectors of society, from dealing with health and social care systems and support, to education, employment, public services, accessibility, and everywhere in-between. It’s crucial that autistic people, their families and their support network, can access tailored information, guidance and support to overcome those barriers, along with opportunities to explore their interests, develop skills and build friendships for fulfilled lives.
Statistics from the National Autistic Society reveal that:
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There are shockingly over 150,000 people on the waiting list for an autism assessment
A mere 26% of autistic young people feel happy in school
Only 29% of autistic people are in any form of employment
70% of autistic people experience mental health problems
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One of our very own Unloc Facilitators Jessi was diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum, and we were keen to find out more about her personal experience. Jessi’s been kind enough to let us interview her and share her diagnosis and experience with you in order to celebrate World Autism Acceptance Week, and to raise awarness of what life is like dealing with neurodiversity.
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Jessi thanks so much for sharing your story with us, so that our followers can get an idea of who you are and what you do – tell us how long you’ve been working with us at Unloc, and s a bit about your role!
Certainly! Hi everyone, I’m Jessi and I’ve been with Unloc since November 2020. I originally joined the organisation as Maternity Cover for another Facilitator, and when she came back to work, I was asked to stay on as a permanent Programme Facilitator! So from July 2022, I’ve been a permanant employee focusing on Leadership Skills and Student Voice.
The biggest programmes in my portfolio are facilitating and running three Student Forums: Cambridgeshire Student Forum (CSF), Council of Portsmouth Students (CoPS) and Primary Council of Portsmouth Students (PCoPS), all of which I adore for different reasons and have had the pleasure of building and growing over the last few years!
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What’s your favourite part of being a Facilitator and working with young people?
I thrive on giving young people opportunities that I didn’t have as a young person myself – CoPS (The Council of Portsmouth Students) existed when I was at Secondary School (and would’ve been the perfect age and amount of keen-ness for it) but I grew up just outside of Portsmouth, and Student Voice wasn’t ‘big’ in my own school whatsoever, we didn’t have School Council or Reps at all! So to give these opportunities to young people in their schools now is amazing.
Another highlight is seeing young people meet new people and make friends, especially across institutions and areas – and this is often their favourite thing about sessions and programmes too!
As an ex-Drama teacher, working with young people as a Facilitator, supporting them as they learn and discover themselves, suits my style of delivery anyway – and I’m still able to draw upon all of those Drama and performance skills!
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When were you diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum, and how did that diagnosis come about?
I’m what is called a ‘late-diagnosis’, which is common in females and those that are ‘high-functioning’ / ’low support’. I was formally diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in July 2023 when I was 33, after beginning the process in July 2021, where I contacted my GP, was referred to a specialist, put on a (lengthy) waiting list, transferred to a private clinic, assessed in March 2023 and confirmed a few months later!
However, I first began to self-diagnose back January 2017 when I started my Masters degree – there was something about returning to the ‘other side’ of education as a student, having worked as a teacher for a number of years and had numerous students with neurodiversities, including autism, that put me in a vulnerable position enough for me to realise that perhaps I might be neurodivergent too. Being able to communicate this to my lecturers and facilitators, who hadn’t (knowingly) worked with an autistic individual before, somewhat helped everyone in accommodating as best as possible during my studies.
Recently, I was in a webinar about neurodiversity in women, with a lot of attendees being of similar age to me and having only recently been diagnosed as being on the spectrum – one of them said that they ‘mourned their childhood’ and wished they had got diagnosed earlier in life. No doubt, this is something echoed by a lot of people, but for me, I like to think:
“Don’t mourn the girl I used to be who didn’t know she was autistic; celebrate the woman who was strong enough to get diagnosed and can lead her life knowing a little bit more of who she really is.”
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Had you always realised something was different? How did that present itself?
To put it bluntly – yes. I always felt a bit odd and different, but was fortunate that a lot of times this was celebrated; a high reading age in Year 3 & 4, being in the ‘gifted and talented’ programme in Year 5 & 6, performing and ‘playing a character’ led to many a dance, drama and musical performances throughout my life. Even my clumsiness and falling over a lot was a running joke with the school nurse and my teachers. But it always came back to me feeling uncertain about my ‘place’ in relation to others, including within my own family – but I’d convinced myself that everyone felt like this at times and I just needed to ‘deal with it’.
But it got to the point quite a few times in my life where I wasn’t ‘dealing with it’ very well and it really affected my mental health with spells of depression and anxiety. These spells do and can still occur, but now I know they are comorbid (the existence of more than one condition at the same time) with my ASD, and so to consider things from that angle, as well as continually finding ways to share and celebrate my differences, really helps me to accept who I am.
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How does your autism present in your life Jessi, and what issues or challenges do you face because of it?
How long is a piece of string…?! The list is endless, honestly, and I think to share a few of these would be surprising to those that know me – whether that’s colleagues, young people I work with, friends and even family members, because I do something called ‘masking’ (a strategy to appear non-autistic in order to to blend in and be more accepted in society). Masking occurs consciously, for example, when I’m facilitating: I always say about how outwardly I need to express confidence and assurance, regardless of how I am feeling inside, and making eye contact with participants to make connections and ensure ‘engagement’ (although I’m the first one to say that someone doesn’t need to physically be looking at someone to be listening and engaging, and I actually have to ‘force’ eye contact because it doesn’t come naturally to me).
Alternatively, I sometimes mask unconsciously too (in fact everyone masks unconsciously to some extent because this behaviour stems from early social learning) and so when that mask ‘slips’, people tend to think something is wrong or that I’m not my ‘bright, bubbly, usual self’. And so by keeping the mask on, especially at work or in social situations, when I’m at home or on my own and don’t need to mask, I often ‘slump’ and am drained, needing a lot of time to recharge and do a whole lot of nothing (which is incredibly frustrating when I want to be doing things, like reading or cleaning).
I’m still working on finding a balance between my work and home life, and there’s never going to be an easy fix, but this is probably the biggest challenge I face because of my autism.
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What coping mechanisms or workarounds have you developed to help you?
I have a few things that I’ve developed to help, and am still finding coping mechanisms for others, but the ones I find that work for me:
Coping mechanisms will be different for everyone, but if something that I do can help someone else out (autistic or not), I’ll always encourage others to ‘borrow’ and ‘steal’ them to make them work for themselves – because I’ve probably stolen all of these from someone else down the line!
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Have you received much support from the NHS/your doctor? What support (if so) and how has that helped/or hindered you? Did you have to wait long for it?
The very first doctor I spoke to on the phone, who happened to be female, was very supportive and understanding when I asked to be referred and assessed – I know this is not always the case for some people (especially if their GP is an older, male doctor) and their first attempt can be ‘pushed back’ or ‘put off’ which can be disheartening – I would’ve done similarly had I worked up the courage to ‘finally’ talk to someone about it and then was dismissed.
I think the transfer of my referral from the NHS to a private company, Solutions 4 Diagnostics, was fantastic as had it been the original wait time that was predicted, I wouldn’t have likely been assessed until now (ie April 2024) – so I got seen to over a year early! In my assessment, a plan of six points was drawn, one being for my GP to refer me for psychological therapy and support – this has not come about yet and I’m not even sure my diagnosis was passed on to my GP, so I need to chase that! But I’m sure when I do, the support will be there which I am already grateful for!
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How have you found working at Unloc with autism? Have we as a company been supportive and understanding? Be completely honest!
When I started at Unloc, the UK was in Lockdown number two, so my first day was at my dining room table – which was very odd and weird but actually probably a wonder for my autism; had I started in-person, I would’ve no doubt been overwhelmed by a new office environment with practical strangers, the ‘rules’ regarding breaks and lunches (which I still struggle with now), and it would’ve been (more) exhausting to be ‘on’ during my working hours, even between meetings and induction sessions.
Unloc has a ‘flexible approach to working life’, where we try to spend 50% of our time in the office (or facilitating) and 50% working from home – this is incredible for me, especially if I am having a ‘bad day’ and would struggle in the office and around other people, I can still efficiently work in the comfort of my own workspace at home (and probably be more focussed without the usual office distractions!).
I’ve had two line managers over the years of working at Unloc, and I can honestly say both have been fantastic, always going above and beyond to support me and my ways. As has the whole team in general – everyone is so lovely and accommodating to everyone else. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not always plain sailing but it’s definitely the best environment and team I’ve worked in and with, and for that I am eternally grateful.
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What would your advice be to someone else who thinks they may be on the spectrum themselves? Do they need to worry? Can they lead a perfectly normal/happy life? Should they get help?
Firstly, if anyone feels like they may be on the spectrum, or any kind of neurodivergent, please do share these thoughts and feelings with your friends and/or family – speaking it out loud can help bring this into reality, rather than thinking it over in your head and keeping it to yourself. Conducting further exploration including personal research will help you to find you are not alone and there is wealth of information out there (sometimes overwhelming so, so try to be specific with your questions or search terms) – this can then help you if you choose to look to get a formal diagnosis.
However, a self-diagnosis is just as valid and some people choose to not formalise it – I decided I wanted to so as to open some doors in the future, for example if I choose to get medicine to assist with my anxiety and/or depression, this will now be treated with the knowledge of my autism diagnosis and so should be better suited. Reaching out to your GP, regardless of wanting a formal diagnosis or not, is ideal to speak to a professional, although remember they unlikely have much knowledge or specialism in autism, and so you may wish for them to refer you on to someone else.
Secondly, do not worry (I know, easier said than done). I’m sure at times I myself have felt worried, but this has often been overruled by relief – the realisation that this is not all made-up or in my head, but a real life condition that does affect me day to day, but I’m still here, leading a somewhat ‘normal’ life, and able to share my story.
The joy of autism, for me, is the lack of normality because everyday is exciting and different – yes it can be challenging and difficult, but we are so fortunate to live in a world that has knowledge and understanding of autism, and this is continuing to grow and get better, making it easier for people like me.
Jessi thank you so much for sharing your journey and experience with us, as you know there are so many people out there who are undiagnosed, and sharing success stories and testimonies like yours can be so helpful to other people, thank you for being such a great part of the Unloc team!
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For more information about autism and how to get a diagnosis click here
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To get details on how to get an autism assessment from the NHS click here
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We’re thrilled to reveal that we and our partners Verizon Business have been shortlisted for not just one, but two awards at The Better Society Awards 2024! The first category is for the National Commitment to Skills & Training Award, something we’re hugely proud of as we roll out our skills focused programmes, workshops and bootcamps across the UK.
The second is for the Philanthropy Award category, given to celebrate individuals and organisations who advance innovation, new solutions, and demonstrate meaningful progress in a community, association, or other nonprofit organisation.
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Unloc’s Managing Director Haydon Taylor is thrilled about the announcement, saying:
“What an incredible honour to be shortlisted for such impressive awards and gaining recognition for the extensive work we do with young people around the country. We’ve worked with the amazing team at Verizon Business for five years now to provide collaborative training and skills opportunities to more than 100,000 young people from across the country, many from disadvantaged communities.”
“Our partnership allows us to provide them with access to free skills and opportunities they’d otherwise miss out on. Working throughout the education sector we’ve been able to expand our reach and help develop the potential of young people from all different backgrounds. Building their confidence, their skills, and their ability to become young changemakers in their communities. I hope everyone will wish us, and Verizon the best of luck on awards night!”
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Talent and opportunity in the UK is often mis-aligned, with young people growing up in the most challenging socio-economic communities facing life expectancies up-to 6 years below the national average and lifetime income earning potential up-to 40% below the national benchmark (such as Portsmouth). Our joint skills and training programmes are helping to redress this imbalance.
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This uniquely collaborative approach between a global corporate, and our own non-for-profit skills & training organisation has:
The outcomes described above are the combined results of the six bespoke and innovative programmes in entrepreneurship, leadership, career pathways and amplifying student voices, which are curated and delivered by Unloc’s expert youth-focused facilitation team, working in close collaboration with Verizon employee mentors, guest speakers and industry experts.
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“We’re so proud of the programs that we’ve developed with Unloc and the impact that they’ve had. I’m delighted that our partnership has been award-nominated as it shows that our approach to levelling the playing field for young people and helping them to develop entrepreneurial skills is making a marked impact and achieving our ambitions in line with our responsible business plan, Citizen Verizon.”
Sanjiv Gossain, Head of EMEA, Verizon Business
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Changemaker Challenge Enterprise Days
These day-long events take place in schools across the country with a particular focus on the most deprived communities, reaching more than 10,000 young people every year. They inspire young people to explore what it means to be a changemaker, including widening their career horizons and putting their entrepreneurial skills to the test through a series of social business challenges.
Each event brings together between 30 and 100 primary or secondary school students to learn about the life and career journeys of local entrepreneurs, Verizon employees and participate in entrepreneurial skill building workshops. Each day culminates in a ‘changemaker challenge’, whereby a team of young people work together to identify and develop an entrepreneurial solution to a real-life social, environmental or economic issue.
Saiqua Zaneb, Deputy Head Teacher at Central Foundation Girls School in Tower Hamlets said
“These experiences have been transformative for our students, giving them the skills and training experiences they need to thrive in the real world.”
Unloc Academies
Our 3-month long Leadership and Enterprise academies develop the skills of more than 1000 passionate young people annually, supporting them to successfully tackle a solution to an issue they or their peers have faced in their schools, colleges or communities. For those participating in the Leadership Academy, Unloc provides practical instruction in project planning, facilitation and effective communication, as well as building personal confidence and leadership. Enterprise Academy students gain skills in business planning, market testing, setting up a business, financial management and more from entrepreneurs and Verizon employees and volunteers.
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I AM:
I AM is a new kind of social change incubator putting 100 young people annually at the heart of tackling issues around equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), whilst developing their life-long employability. For 6 months, young people from across Portsmouth and London come together over 4 immersive weekends of training and collaboration to learn about EDI and apply what they have learn to create and implement social change projects, with the support of community leaders, local professionals, specialist consultants, and democratically-elected representatives Following participation, 100% of young people say they feel more inspired to do something different or take action in the future, and 92% say they want to take part in similar programmes.
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EDI Changemaker Days
Running alongside I AM, EDI Changemaker Days take place in 5 schools in disadvantaged communities and deliver an immersive day-long experience on EDI and racial justice for 1000 young people each year. With the help of the Unloc team and Verizon mentors, students build their own in-school campaigns to tackle a problem or address a challenge that impacts their lives.
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The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge
The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge is an annual event that identifies and encourages young entrepreneurial talent. Now in its 5th year, the challenge provides the opportunity for any young person aged 16-25 with an innovative technology-led, business idea to apply for a grant of £10,000, plus mentorship, training and specialist pro-bono expertise, to help them translate their idea into a successful social enterprise or business. To date, 35 young people have been supported, with their ventures in turn employing more than 250 people.
We work with many organisations to provide the many experiences, courses & opportunities we offer. This year we wanted to take some time to recognise one of these important organisations, The Marketors’.
Student voice has been at the heart of celebrations as we celebrate the 21st anniversary of the Council of Portsmouth Students (CoPS).
Our new series ‘Courses Up Close’ looks more in-depth at some of of our programmes, courses & bootcamps. Our first is our Leadership Academy. Click for more!
As applications begin to flood in, we caught up with our 2024 Winner Ethan Waisberg to reflect on the process and how he found the whole experience.
We work with many organisations to provide the many experiences, courses & opportunities we offer. This year we wanted to take some time to recognise one of these important organisations, The Marketors’.
Student voice has been at the heart of celebrations as we celebrate the 21st anniversary of the Council of Portsmouth Students (CoPS).
Our new series ‘Courses Up Close’ looks more in-depth at some of of our programmes, courses & bootcamps. Our first is our Leadership Academy. Click for more!
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