I AM Employability

Aim

To support 32 Disadvantaged students leaving secondary school end of term July 2021 to gain Accredited Level 2 Employability certification.

Founders WHY behind the Vision

Aged 11, I said to one of my cousins, I wish I wasn’t born, she replied, the world would be incomplete without you. I remember thinking, “I want to find out why the world would be incomplete without me”. Aged 28, I remember the CEO of an 89-unit business centre calling me into his office and said, I would like to promote you to business centre manager, in that moment I remember feeling panicked, like I wasn't good enough, like I would mess up. I responded, “let me think about it”, he smiled and replied “OK”. I went home that evening thinking, “What did he see in me that I don’t see in myself”, “WHAT DID HE SEE in me and why do I not see it in myself”, again, I thought, I want to find out. I accepted the opportunity and excelled in that post. I share those to say this, there are times in our lives when for whatever reason we cannot and do not see the better version of ourselves and it may take the Open Eyes of someone else to lend us their lenses until our eyes are open to who we are. Much the same, in my 10 years of supporting disadvantaged young people, often they do not see the entrepreneur, the plumber, the photographer, the artist, the fashion designer, the carpenter, the doctor, the lawyer, the makeup artist, the teacher, the mentor, the youth worker, the accountant, the integrity, discipline and dedication in them and more importantly their (PPP), Passion (desire) Potential (capacity) and Purpose(the problem that they were born to solve). It is also for that very reason why I AM IN ME was birthed, to help Open The Eyes of those most in need, to see the best version of themselves, to see their worth. 

WHAT WE DO

I AM IN ME is about journeying with disadvantaged young people to support them to see the better version of themselves, to support with the transformation of their minds to get to a place of self-belief. It is for a disadvantaged young person to believe that the BEST of them is in them, often times if that work isn’t done all we do is camouflage, we simply put a plaster over the crack and what’s bound to happen is that the crack will always seep through, causing the problem to reappear. Of course, LIFE for these young people will prove some kind of odds stacked against them and might I say, that is LIFE. No matter who you are, or your circumstances, sooner or later LIFE WILL happen to you and it is for this very reason why our bedrock is Personal Development: Resilience, Self Confidence, Self-Worth, Emotional Intelligence, the right Perspective and a Growth Mindset. This is with the view of overcoming Social, Educational and Economic barriers and Empowering disadvantaged young people.

 I AM Sasha Gay Smith, I founded I AM IN ME in 2016 and changed structure to I AM IN ME Community Interest Company in 2017 to open up the non profit to support from donations and grants, to support with the start-up of our mission. Supported by 2 other Directors we provide tailored support to disadvantaged young people, including ex-offenders and those at risk of offending. 

We do this through 3 paths of engagement.

1. Personal Development

2. Employability 

3. Business Start Up 

 Our Vision:

Is to Invest, Inspire, Influence and IMPACT the lives of those most in need, to achieve positive transformation and Generational Impact. In 5 years’ time, the aim is to have our own dedicated building with a pipeline of referrals from partner organisations to support disadvantaged young people at risk of exclusion, NEET (Not in education, employment or training), those at risk of gang affiliation with a focus on the BAME community, preparing disadvantaged young people to be equipped, empowered, ready for the next steps in their journey be it Apprenticeship, Traineeship, T-Levels or further education.

“We cannot choose our starts but we can choose how we finish.”

Help us Equip and Empower disadvantaged young people with the tools that they need to change their lives and that of their families and wider community.

THE PROBLEM

According to House Of Commons Library research January 2021 on Youth Unemployment. Figures show:

• 591,000 young people aged 16-24 were unemployed in September-November 2020
• 505,000 18-24 year olds were unemployed in September-November 2020, while 1.59 million were economically inactive.
• The unemployment rate for people aged 18-24 was 13.2%, up from 10.2% a year before.
• 86,000 16-17 year olds were unemployed, while 1.11 million were economically inactive.

OUR SOLUTION

"Level 2 HIGHFIELD Accredited Personal Development for EMPLOYABILITY Programme"

Every penny you donate will help us to equip more disadvantaged young people with employability skills to improve their access to employment. It costs £69.14 per young person to cover the cost of a level 2 Highfield Employability kit (£43.14) and (£26) for the certificate.  The money raised will go towards the cost to deliver Highfield Accredited level 2 Employability certification to increase Traineeship, Apprenticeship and T-Levels opportunities with an immediate focus on disadvantaged young people  transitioning to post 16 destinations September 2021 and those young people who were unemployed before Covid-19. Every penny you donate will help to equip disadvantaged young people with Employability skills to include personal development, making them work ready and mitigate against "years of reduced pay and limited job prospects".

"LIFE!!!  It is not so much about what we accumulate but how we are remembered when we are gone!".

DONATE. Help us expand our reach, no amount is too small, we believe kindness cannot be measured.

SPREAD THE WORD. follow us on social media, subscribe to our Youtube page. https://youtu.be/2Asue7tNjRk

MENTORSHIP. How would the younger you benefit from what you know now, you cannot go back but you can pay it forward.   

Head over to our website www.iaminme.co.uk to find out more and drop us an email to let us know if you would like to join our mentorship programme to mentor a young person in need! 

Thank you for your generosity and may your kindness be returned to you as you help us to equip the next generation most in need.

This project successfully funded on 23rd March 2021