It’s not often you get asked what sweet would best describe you at a press conference but then this is no ordinary Q & A. To mark Social Enterprise Day, we’ve handed over the mic to Media Cubs Everleigh and Lila and together they’ve put four of our newest programme award winners through their paces.
Written by
Nicola Curtis
External Affairs Lead
Alongside their confectionary choices, discover what led Yuru, Alaa, Matthew and Jade to set up their social enterprises, what advice they’d give to other young people who want to make a difference and why they think it’s important that young people are leading change in society.
27-year-old Yuru got the idea for setting up her social enterprise when she was a student wanting to connect and make friends through food. Her enterprise connects certified cooks from minority ethnic groups with companies seeking catering for events. The platform helps refugee, immigrant and stay-at-home cooks to share their culture and stories while generating income. So far, the organisation’s chef community represents over 60 countries.
Find out why Yuru feels a Macha cake best describes her personality.
The 26-year-old, who has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and pathological demand avoidance (PDA), was once known as ‘the worst kid from Leicester’ and spent most of his childhood and early teens out of mainstream education. Now studying for a PHD at Bath University he is also the founder of EDEN (Employment Devices for Enhancing Neurodiversity) educating and training employers on the benefits of employing those who are neurodivergent.
Find out why Matthew feels a Crunchie best describes his personality.
The 29-year-old who is based in Salford is using her own experiences of leaving her home country of Syria and settling in Greater Manchester to empower refugees and asylum seekers in Salford, Manchester and the surrounding areas with increased digital skills.
Find out why Alaa feels the Palestinian dessert Knafeh best describes her personality.
At the age of 15, Jade entered the care system and was moved 260 miles from London to Blackpool, just before taking her GCSEs. Now the 24-year-old is back in London striving to change the system with her social enterprise Power2Prevail Community which supports disadvantaged young people to see that their circumstances don’t define them.
Find out why Jade feels a Crunchie best describes her personality.
Media Cubs is a pop-up TV studio and newsroom that empowers children from all backgrounds to become confident creators, debaters, and navigators of the news.
Funding Futures Programme – a joint fund from UnLtd, Co-op Foundation and Phoenix Group and delivered by UnLtd – has been set up to support young social entrepreneurs working in the areas of financial inclusion and literacy.