A Dundee-based social enterprise has received funding from a local charitable Trust to give seven young people free spaces on their social entrepreneurship training programme. The Mathew Trust have awarded The Circle with a grant to allow school leavers up to 25 with ideas to make a difference in their community the chance to access vital knowledge, resources and support through The Circle Academy.
The Circle Academy is a training programme for individuals looking to create positive social or environmental change in a sustainable and financially viable way. The programme is focused on developing skills and knowledge in mindset, business planning, legal structures, governance, finance, marketing, sales and selling, teams and culture, social impact, funding and pitching. The programme is offered in three forms: the Full Circle, the Semi Circle and Squaring The Circle. Four scholarship spaces are available on the Full Circle and three spaces are available on the Semi Circle.
Participants on the Full Circle will take part in 12 weeks of intensive training through live and recorded expert-led sessions alongside 1-to-1 support, access to exclusive learning resources and culminating in a chance to pitch for a pot of funding. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to gain an SCQF level 7 qualification. Following the 12-week training programme candidates will also receive 9 months of follow-up support to help embed their learning and better set them up to achieve their goals. The next cohort of the Full Circle begins on Thursday 15th April. The deadline for applications is Wednesday 31st March.
The Semi Circle is a flexible self-study version of The Circle Academy which gives and introduction to social entrepreneurship. Semi Circle participants will have access to recordings of 20 of the Academy programme’s expert led sessions and 6 exclusive learning resources for self-study.
16-year-old Daniel Flannigan was a candidate in the most recent cohort of The Circle on the Full Circle package. Daniel is in the midst of setting up a clothing line that will use its profits to support causes for men’s mental health. Daniel did very well on the Academy and went on to win the pitch competition at the end of the programme, receiving a small funding pot to go towards his start up costs.
Daniel says the Academy was a very worthwhile experience and encourages anyone interested to join,
“I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to do at the start of the course but by the end of the course I had a fully planned out, business plan that is going underway this year. It didn’t feel like school, even though we were learning but it’s because you’re developing yourself and your business idea. It was just a great experience and learning opportunity that anyone should grasp at if they get the chance.”
Anyone who is interested in one of the funded spaces can contact academy@thecircledundee.org.uk for more information.
The Circle
The Circle is an award winning 'More Than Profit' organisation that supports businesses to make a difference to communities by providing affordable consultancy, training and workspaces, within an inclusive and friendly community.
