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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.
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We are incredibly proud to announce that our innovative I AM: programme has been shortlisted in the Community Project of the Year category at Burberry British Diversity Awards 2023.
The Awards were created by global fashion giant Burberry in order to promote the values of equality, diversity and inclusion by rewarding those individuals, organisations and unsung heroes who help to make the world and the workplace a better place for others.
Burberry are passionate that progress and acceptance cannot ever be taken for granted, and although it’s been shown diversity is good for business and society as a whole there is also a worrying increase in intolerance and hate crimes against minority groups.
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Our dynamic I AM: project, which is supported by Verizon Business, aims to empower and grow the confidence of young people to be who they are, focusing on their lives, identity, culture and their lived experience through a series of inspiring guest speakers, challenges and workshops over four weekend events.
We take a holistic view of diversity with I AM: welcoming young people from a diverse range of backgrounds; in terms of socio-economic backgrounds, racial backgrounds, care experienced young people, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. These young people are at the forefront of celebrating diversity in their communities.
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What’s the I AM: programme about?
The programme focuses on key themes and social issues such as inclusion, inequality, racial justice, social justice, black culture, gay pride, and trans pride. This vital project is important to bring diverse young voices together to express their truth, be heard and empower them to use their experiences combined with social action to become changemakers in the wider community.
I AM: provides the opportunity for these young people to meet with experienced professionals, social activists, artists, experts and those with power. This includes specialist consultants, community leaders, democratically elected representatives, and others who have influence.
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What did the young people from the programme feedback to us afterwards?
Following participation in the programme, 100% of young people are all saying they feel more inspired to do something different or take action in the future and 92% are saying they want to take part in other programmes.
This is how we know that the I AM programme is having a lasting impact with a legacy. We hope to continue and expand the programme in the future, and are so incredibly proud to have been shortlisted for the Community Project of the Year Award.
The fact that our hard work to improve the lives of young people has been recognised by an organisation so focused on these key themes of inclusion means the world to us. Wish us luck for the final!
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Read about our last I AM: event in Portsmouth in the media by clicking here!
View the Burberry British Diversity Awards shortlist by clicking here!
. Unloc and Verizon Business have launched The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge for 2025, an annual event that seeks to identify the best young talent across
Help us celebrate the launch of a new rap track and music video created by young people as a united stand against knife crime, drugs, gang culture & youth violence.
The General Election is over, after an intense period, what did we learn from young people in the run-up to the election?
We’re thrilled to reveal that we and Verizon Business won two awards at The Better Society Awards 2024!
. Unloc and Verizon Business have launched The Young Entrepreneurs Challenge for 2025, an annual event that seeks to identify the best young talent across
Help us celebrate the launch of a new rap track and music video created by young people as a united stand against knife crime, drugs, gang culture & youth violence.
The General Election is over, after an intense period, what did we learn from young people in the run-up to the election?
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