Hounslow Council and Social Enterprise Academy involve cared for young people in Social Enterprise project

Hounslow Council and Social Enterprise Academy will be including looked after young people from the Virtual College, as part of their 2024 Social Enterprise Schools programme.

It’s the first-time young people in care have had the opportunity to partake in Social Enterprise Schools and comes after Hounslow Council’s Children Services received an overall ‘Good’ rating by independent regulator Ofsted in early December.

The three-day programme will be delivered between April 10 and April 12, 2024, with the cohort chosen from a pool of young people who attend the Council’s Virtual College.  They will subsequently be designing a social enterprise based on environmental and social issues they feel passionate about.

They will then be invited to present their project Dragon’s Den-style on May 10 with an audience that will include the leader of Hounslow Council, Councillor Shantanu Rajawat.

Councillor Lily Bath, Cabinet Member for Education, Children, Skills, and Employment said:  “It’s fitting that we are announcing this fantastic opportunity for our cared for young people in the wake of a ‘Good’ overall rating from Ofsetd.  I’m sure our cohort from the Virtual College will enjoy the experience, as it’s a brilliant programme.”

Matt Nicol, Head of Social Enterprise Schools (England) said:  “We are thrilled to be collaborating with Hounslow’s Virtual College to deliver Social Enterprise Schools to a cohort of young people with care experience. Supporting Hounslow’s Youth Skills & Employment Guarantee, this programme empowers young people to design a social enterprise in response to a local problem they care about whilst developing their employability and entrepreneurial skills. We are excited to see their ideas come to life and to support their journey in becoming local changemakers.”