The Hub Youth Academy will help young people establish careers in socially-minded businesses by providing them with training, mentoring and access to a network of leading social entrepreneurs across London
A new programme to support young people who want to have a positive impact through business with a social and environmental conscience has been launched in London.
The Hub Youth Academy programme aims to help 18-25 year olds establish their own social enterprises through a training scheme and by providing networking opportunities.
Launched on 19 November to coincide with Global Entrepreneurship Week, the programme is being run by Impact Hub Islington, a co-working space and community centre for social entrepreneurs and innovative start-up businesses, which is part of a global network.
Kristy Petkova from Impact Hub said: “Around the world, young people are asking how they can reduce environmental pollution, improve labour markets and working conditions, influence public policy and disrupt dysfunctional societal systems – Hub Youth Academy is one place to start.”
Young people will be trained through a series of skills development workshops and mentoring from established social entrepreneurs. Participants will also have the opportunity to receive up to one year of free business incubation space in Islington and will gain membership to the Impact Hub London network, which includes co-working spaces hosting over 1,000 social entrepreneurs and small businesses across the capital.
The Academy will be run in partnership with Freeformers, the New Economics Foundation and Numbers4Good, and is funded by an RBS Inspiring Youth Enterprise grant.
The programme aims to engage with 2,500 young people through online media, with 200 individuals participating in workshops during Global Entrepreneurship Week and 12 participating directly in the pilot programme, which starts in April 2014.
