We want to know what kind of support that young people getting their own place need and want.  This may be young people leaving school, going to uni, leaving care or just moving into their own place.  This survey has three questions and will help us to build our case and reach more young people to prepare them to have the lives they want to lead.  Thanks for completing and sharing.

Starting on 20th March we invite you to take part in our #selfiepledge week.  All week we want you to tell us the kind of role-model you want to be.  Role-models from all backgrounds are hugely important to young people and come in many forms.  They may be teachers, mentors, social workers, parents and people they meet more fleetingly in day-to-day interactions.  Never underestimate the impact your words and actions have.  So use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to tell us your pledge to young people.  We’ll see some of you at the Developing Outstanding Careers and Enterprise Conference on 23rd at the John Innes, where we’ll have our polaroid camera in case you haven’t done your #selfiepledge by then!

Next week we’re training six new Tenancy & Independent Living Skills (TILS) trainers.  They will be able to provide 1-2-1 as well as group courses all over Norfolk.  This means we can reach more young people.  So if you think these skills are needed in schools, youth groups, for young tenants, supported accommodation, prisons, for young people in college and even going to university, then please get in touch.   We know these skills are needed because they’re not currently being taught.

We’re so excited to be entering 2017 with a new model of delivery.  We believe that thinking in this way is what sets us apart as an innovative social enterprise.  Like our young people we are not seeking handouts and want to be upfront about the benefits of getting involved with an organisation such as ours.  Thanks to funding last year we ran two successful Volunteer Tenancy Mentoring projects.  Whilst grateful for the opportunity to test these ideas out, one year of funding to establish and evaluate a project of this complexity is just woefully naive on the funder’s part.

We must move away from short-term funding if we’re serious about systemic social change.  And that’s what gets me out of bed in the morning.  Finding a way to secure the revenue for a longer-term thinking.  We’re currently looking at a three-pronged model to resourcing our Mentoring programme.  All three prongs have track records elsewhere.

One is working with large local employers to buy in Mentoring training for their staff as an HR service. This is hugely appealing to employers who know that volunteering creates more motivated and committed employees.  This model has the potential to run over four or five years.

With this financial kickstart we can then provide mentors to our customers at a vastly reduced cost – but nonetheless that’s our second revenue stream.

And thirdly, we’re increasingly seeing volunteers pay to volunteer in other models across the country.  This is being explored to broaden our volunteer base and invite people to sign up through a bespoke website.

So you see, none of this will happen overnight, but when it does, it has longevity built in.  Our young people deserve services that stick with them and we hope you’ll be excited enough to come on board with some of the most innovative ideas in the sector.

Last week I ventured, along with my PwC mentor, to the PwC Impact Hub on Tooley Street for their Social Enterprise Awards.  Having never been shortlisted for an award in my life, this was very exciting and new.  Brigade is the most amazing social enterprise bar and restaurant and the canapés (small feasts) were to die for.  We were shortlisted for the Innovation award and didn’t win.  Sometimes people don’t win and I think in the world of social media hyperbole, it’s important to share the highs and lows.  Everyone says that they don’t mind, but I really don’t. Not least because Bristol Braille Technology did, with awesome and groundbreaking technology.  In the Social Impact category I was thrilled to see the wonderful Money A + E and my friend Jerry scoop an award for their epic efforts to bring money skills to parts of London.  The very best people won on the night and to spend a couple of hours with 15 shortlisted social enterprises was an absolute joy.