Over 120 local business leaders and young people gathered on 11 November 2022, at Stobbs IP in Cambridge, to celebrate achievements of the IGNITE Programme, run by Inspire 2 Ignite CIC. The programme helps young people, aged 16 – 24, to develop valuable life skills by encouraging entrepreneurship as a state of mind, and forms part of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Region of Learning, Skills and Opportunity (CPRoLSO) and XP.
CPRoLSO is a region-wide initiative, launched in July 2022, which brings employers and education providers together to recognise and reward informal learning and skills, and shape new career pathways for young people. Through CPRoLSO, IGNITE provides a free programme for young people in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who are currently, or are at risk of not being in education, training, employment (NEET).
Michelle Lord FRSA, CPRoLSO Manager at Cambridge City Council, added: “Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Region of Learning and XP offer so many benefits and opportunities to disadvantaged young people across the region, and the IGNITE programme is essential in helping those with an entrepreneurial mindset to gain the skills needed to kickstart their career and achieve their personal goals.”
IGNITE supports individuals to think entrepreneurially by offering access to networks, investment, meet ups with other participants, support and other resources needed to turn ideas into viable businesses. Participants gain digital badges in the process, which accurately record and showcase the learning and skills gained and CPRoLSO hopes that these will open new career opportunities for disadvantaged young people.
Bo, one participant of IGNITE, said: “As the programme is so action based, everything feels tangible. At first, my goal seemed miles away, now it’s just ‘over there’. The activity I've enjoyed the most so far has been the in-person sessions. I feel so connected with the whole team and enjoy not only celebrating my own personal success, but also seeing others succeed.”
Digital badges gained by participants of the IGNITE programme can be earned and shared on CPRoLSO’s XP platform, which links the skills developed directly to relevant career pathways and live job opportunities in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.
Alex Hughes, Founder of Inspire 2 Ignite CIC, added: “In my 20 years as an owner of multiple businesses, I have seen the positive impact of encouraging an entrepreneurial spirit in our young people. Giving them a seat at the table not only improves their chances to achieve their full potential, but also benefits our communities.”
To find out more about Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Region of Learning, Skills and Opportunity, please visit https://xpcambs.co.uk/.
For more information about the IGNITE programme, please visit https://shiftmomentum.co.uk/esf-ignite/.
