Outreach to 100,000 Black people across the UK with Nesta | Announcement

We are excited to announce that we are working with Nesta to provide Black people impacted by COVID-19 with access to jobs and financial support. The two other organisations working on this project to reach particular demographic communities are The Big Issue Group and Youth Federation.

Through the Rapid Recovery Challenge, supported by MaPS, JPMorgan and DWP, Nesta has been funding and supporting 14 innovative tools developed to best meet the needs of people most impacted by the pandemic. Our own research has shone a light on the dire impact COVID-19 has had on Black-led social impact organisations and we are excited to be part of this initiative alongside some of the UK’s leading agencies for social good. Access to tools and services designed with the end-user in mind is critical to supporting those hit hardest by COVID-19, especially while they try to find jobs and manage their personal finances.

Over the next few months we will be working with 75 Black led organisations across the UK to run a coordinated social media campaign, 1:2:1 coaching, webinars and personalised resource matching. Our goal is to support 100,000 Black people who are in low paid work, currently unemployed or financially insecure to access the innovative tech based tools funded through Nesta’s Rapid Recovery Challenge.

Bayo Adelaja, CEO, said: “We are living in unprecedented times. The COVID crisis has pushed Black led charities and social enterprises that would typically engage with and support the underserved people in their local areas close to breaking point. The burden on local services continues to rise and the traditional infrastructure is unfortunately antiquated and unable to rise to the challenge the pandemic has set before us all. We are proud to be part of a solution, spurred on by Nesta’s Rapid Recovery Challenge, that can address the difficulty underserved young people, low-paid and insecure workers are facing across the country, at scale.”

If you’re an organisation who works with Black people who have had their jobs or finances impacted by the pandemic, please get in touch with us to be part of the coalition we are building to support Black people across the UK