SEN entrepreneurship charity wins national award

Bournemouth-based charity Support and Mentoring Enabling Entrepreneurship (SAMEE) has picked up a prestigious award at this year’s UK Career Development Awards.

SAMEE helps people with disabilities and special educational needs into self-employment.

The UK Career Development Awards are hosted by the Career Development Institute, the professional body for UK career development representing 5,000 members across all areas of the profession.

The charity picked up the Career Programme – Post-16 Education award, recognising its success in rolling out the UK’s first accredited Self-Employment Skills Development Programme, ‘Steps into Self Employment’, which supports people with special educational needs across the country.

It has been developed on extensive research and co-creation with people recognised as having SEN including those with neuro-diverse challenges.

SAMEE CEO Sam Everard who collected the award said: “This is more than just an accolade. It’s proof that our scheme is an effective pathway that can be explored by career professionals and advisers with great results.”

She added: “It’s important that self-employment is recognised as the fifth pathway for anybody, establishing itself alongside the others – education, employment, apprenticeships and internships.”

David Morgan

David Morgan, Chief Executive of the CDI, said: “The UK Career Development Awards recognise the best of the profession and winning the award for Career Programme – Post-16 Education is a huge achievement.

“SAMEE’s ‘Steps into Self-Employment’ helps young people with special educational needs and disabilities develop key skills and explore non-traditional employment opportunities.

“The judges recognised the longevity of the programme and its social return on investment impact.”

The judges, which included a representative from the Department of Education commented: “What we really liked about this submission was its longevity, having started in 2016. It was particularly notable that the ethos of the project is very client centred.

“The accredited training course and support from their exam board are strengths here too, alongside having ‘survived and thrived’ through the pandemic”.

David Morgan added; “I would like to congratulate Sam Everard and all the team at SAMEE on their impressive win and for their continued support for those who can benefit most from high-quality careers support.”

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Lush to kick off beach clean tour in Bournemouth

As part of plastic-free July, Lush is organising a series of beach cleans, kicking off in Bournemouth.

The brand’s Trash Dash Initiative is aiming to collect 60 tonnes of plastic waste, and will offer participants the chance to meet new people as well as getting their hands on Lush’s new SpongeBob SquarePants collaboration range.

66% of products sold at Lush are ‘naked’, meaning they have no packaging.

Since 2005, Lush packaging-free innovations such as inventing the bath bomb, the shampoo bar, pressed conditioners and more have saved the world from a further 13.8K tons of plastic from ever being produced.

Trash Dash will be taking place in the following locations:

Bournemouth beach, Dorset

23rd July, 1 pm – 7 pm

24th July, 1 pm – 6 pm

Brighton beach, East Sussex

25th July, 1 pm – 7 pm

26th July, 1 pm – 6 pm

Weston-super-mare beach, Somerset

27th July, 1 pm – 7 pm

28th July, 1 pm – 6 pm

Fistral beach, Cornwall

29th July, 1 pm – 7 pm

30th July, 1 pm – 5 pm

Those looking to get involved only need to turn up at one of these places between those times.

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Dorset Tea donates to Home-Start Wessex

Dorset Tea has announced its support and sponsorship for Home-Start Wessex.

The tea company is providing a donation to the charity as part of its Communi-Tea campaign, which sees it helping charities and causes in Dorset.

Home-Start Wessex offers support, friendship and practical help to disadvantaged and vulnerable young children and their families.

Families who are going through a time of crisis due to issues such as poor mental health, postnatal depression, disability, domestic abuse, bereavement, isolation, low income, or inadequate housing/homelessness are supported for a period of at least six months.

Home-Start Wessex will use the money to help fund its latest volunteer programme, which runs from October 2nd to November 13th, as well as its Telephone Befriender course, which began in May of this year.

Caroline Pope, the Corporate Engagement Manager for Home-Start Wessex said “We are delighted to be working with Dorset Tea and tremendously grateful for their support towards our volunteer programme.

“As Home-Start UK’s CEO, Peter Grigg recently highlighted, tea is a massive part of the Home-Start model.”

Kathy Fryatt-Banks CEO of Home-Start Wessex adds: “One of the most important roles of family support volunteers is spending time talking and listening to people, often over a cup of tea.

“Knowing how someone likes their tea is about understanding and trust, and this funding will go towards training volunteers to build those relationships and earn their trust.”

Lauren Forecast from Dorset Tea says, “We are thrilled to partner with Home-Start Wessex as part of our ongoing commitment to supporting local charities that have a positive impact in our community. Their tireless efforts to support parents and children is essential, and we are honoured to contribute to their important work.”