This week I've been working with my fellow Trades4Care directors on putting together a page for the Aviva Community Foundation website. In a collaboration with Crowdfunder, Aviva showcase community projects and we're lucky enough to have been given the opportunity to feature, going live on Tuesday.
We're aiming to raise at least £3k towards a bursary scheme which will fund work experience and placements with T4C for local young people in and around Bishop Auckland. Avvia employees receive vouchers which they can spend on projects on the site, which are also open to the public. The challenge is to get enough small donations in the first week to edge further up the page, so that our project hits the eye first.
My first ever effort at making at making a short video for our entry has turned into a mini photo album with some cheerful music reminiscent of a Carry On film, so unless my colleague has managed a more sophisticated offering, we may end up being distinguished by our cheerful amateurishness.
In January, with funding from Bishop Auckland initiative the Gaunless Gateway Big Local we piloted our first bursary for a young man who had completed T4C's programme last year but had failed to find any work in the decorating trade. He spent 6 weeks working with us on a restoration job on the Raby estate and getting tailored support. His confidence has greatly increased, and following help writing applications and introductions to 20 local employers he has now been offered a trial with a local business. We're really cheering him on, and want to offer similar opportunities to other young people.
If you have a couple of quid to spare and two minutes to visit our page, you can find us from midday on Tuesday 16th February at
https://aviva community fund/trades4care
Every pound you can give gets us further up the hierarchy and more likely to hit our target!
For more detail about Trades4Care it's www.trades4care.co.uk
