Incubate, accelerate,

amplify INCUBATE, ACCELERATE, AMPLIFY IS A TWO YEAR PROGRAMME SUPPORTING SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS WITH IDEAS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO IMPROVE HOW PUBLIC SERVICES ARE DELIVERED.

The programme, supported by the National Lottery Community Fund, includes a full-time salary to enable entrepreneurs to fully focus on the growth of their idea, guidance and feedback from Catch22’s frontline delivery partners and experts, and desk space and support in our head office.

The social entrepreneurs we support are developing new approaches to ensure the wellbeing of young people and to overcome significant obstacles to employment, including those with learning disabilities or criminal convictions. Our entrepreneurs work towards Catch22’s collective goal of giving every person the pathway to having good people around them, a fulfilling purpose, and a safe place to live.

MIFTA CHOUDHURY

Caught in the justice system for more than 10 years from the age of 12, Mifta turned his life around and now supports young people to develop resilience and aspiration.

Perpetrators of youth violence often lack any kind of relationship with a trusted adult. Additionally offenders and ex-offenders are not as involved in reforming services and systems as they could be, despite having the insights on the causes of crime and the barriers to successful rehabilitation.

Youth Ink facilitates honest and open discussions between young people and ex-offenders, to produce interventions for those at risk of entering the justice system. Mifta is already changing the lives of young people in Southwark through his award winning programme.

PUJA BALACHANDER AND LAURA WHITE

Parenting is the greatest factor influencing a child’s development. Gaps in early years create lifelong, intergenerational inequality.

Devie is a virtual coach delivered via one-to-one online interactions to support parents’ goals and wellbeing, developed by designer Puja and early childhood educator Laura. It will operate alongside existing family support services and be free of charge for everyone working towards parenting goals.

While Catch22 firmly believes that humans are better at building trust, empathising and responding sensitively to complex situations, we are keen to lend our expertise in public service delivery to support this exciting technology.

Who are we supporting?

TRACY HAMMOND

Tracy is helping people with learning disabilities, mental health problems and autistic spectrum disorders enter the workforce.

While there are record levels of employment in the UK, adults with learning disabilities still face barriers to finding employment. While 6% of people with learning disabilities are in work, 65% would like to be.

Tracy is creating an ethical employment agency that works with employers who will provide opportunities for which she will recruit and train those with learning disabilities.

JACOB HILL

Over 11 million people in the UK have a conviction. Many find it difficult to find employment, with employer attitudes being one of the main barriers to finding work. With paths to legitimate employment blocked, many ex-offenders reoffend, costing the UK taxpayer over £16bn a year.

Launched in 2016 by Yorkshire’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Jacob Hill, Offploy supports people with criminal convictions into meaningful, mentored and sustainable employment. Offploy works with both employers and employees, to address the UK’s chronic skills shortage, to reduce reoffending and to make society safer for all.Based in Yorkshire and the Humber, Offploy has secured employment for over 140 people to date.

Find out where some of our former ventures are now over the page

Lighthouse

Founded by Emmanuel Akpan-Inwang, Lighthouse aims to revolutionise children’s care homes in the UK. After spending time in children's care homes and researching best practice models across Europe, he developed a model that aims to improve outcomes for the children that live in these homes. Lighthouse will open its first children’s care home in 2020.

London Village Network

Rachael Box created the London Village Network (LVN) in response to her frustrations at the lack of opportunities available for at-risk young people on her estate. Now operating across ten London boroughs, LVN aims to become the go to app for youth workers, young people and volunteers seeking easy access to services, support and volunteering.

Where arethey now?

FIND OUT MORE

We are seeking partner organisations, experts and mentors to support these social entrepreneurs as they begin their journeyon Catch22’s Incubate, Accelerate, Amplify programme.Can you offer advice, connections or investment?

Email: incubation@catch-22.org.uk

Unlocked Graduates

Natasha Porter was inspired to setup Unlocked Graduates after a 2016 review of prison education. Unlocked Graduates attracts high-calibre graduate talent to work in the UK prison service and inject new ideas, insights and energy into the rehabilitation of prisoners. To date, it has placed 150 prison officers in 14 prisons that house over 10,000 prisoners across London and the South East. It aims to be operating in 20% of public prisons in England in the near future.