In the nineteenth of a series of articles on the Big Venture Challenge Winners, we introduce today Tom Storey, founder of REDS10 Training.
Big Venture Challenge is a national programme, run by UnLtd and supported by the Big Lottery Fund, to find 25 of the most ambitious social entrepreneurs in England. The 25 winners all want investment so that their enterprises can deliver social impact on a significant scale. They will each receive a unique package of financial and non-financial support to help them achieve their goals. Meet winner No 19:
Who are they?
Tom previously worked as an Operations Director for one of the largest construction companies in the country, and has 12 years' experience of management, strategy and policy evaluation, primarily in urban regeneration. He's supported by a strong team with substantial experience in construction, recruitment and finance.
What do they do?
REDS10 support local authorities, developers and contractors in meeting local labour and apprenticeship targets on construction projects. Our innovative approach identifies skills gaps across a region, designs training which meets that need, and employs locally sourced workers for two years. Long-term unemployed people are supported on a full apprenticeship programme, employed for two years. The programme is delivered at no cost to the local authority, by aligning activity and funding which already exists.
Why were they selected?
The judges and UnLtd were impressed by the experience of the entrepreneur and team, and that they demonstrated clear social purpose and commitment in their efforts to enable disadvantaged people into skilled jobs. They felt that Tom and REDS 10 would benefit from Big Venture Challenge's mix of financial and non-financial support.
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