Charities to help young people build skills and confidence to work in retail
The Retail Trust has joined forces with youth volunteering project vInspired to launch a project to help young people to build skills and confidence for a career in the retail sector.
The project, to be launched during Volunteers’ Week from 1-7 June, will enlist young people who want to enter or progress in the retail sector to develop and volunteer in local pop-up initiatives. The project is being supported by Dan Thompson founder of #riotcleanup and will be aimed at young people aged 16-25.
Nigel J L Rothband, chief executive of the Retail Trust, the only charity looking after all people in retail, said: “We’re very excited about our partnership with vInspired as over 30% of the retail sector workforce is made up of 16-24 year olds, more than double the all-industry average for the UK of 13%.
“We want to support community collaboration between retailers and youth and to encourage local regeneration through the use of empty units on our high street and within town centres. We will be calling on retailers in the coming weeks to support their employee’s development through the programme.”
Terry Ryall, CEO of vInspired added: “vInspired is a charity that, quite simply, gives young people the opportunity to do good things.This innovative partnership with Retail Trust will not only help build skills for future careers in retail, it will create important links between young people and their local communities. By combining Retail Trust’s expertise in retail, and our own in motivating young people, we hope our three year project will help to inject a new life into our high streets.”
More information on the programme can be obtained from the Retail Trust on 020 8358 7277 or by emailing abasmajian@retailtrust.org.uk.