The Fusion21 Foundation is investing £30,000 in The Telos Foundation to launch its World of Work Week initiative across four schools in Knowsley, helping young people most at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) to build confidence, employability skills and connections with local employers.
The project is designed for students facing barriers such as academic disengagement, poor attendance or attainment, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and underrepresentation linked to low-income backgrounds. Following the initial pilot, The Telos Foundation plans to continue the programme in Knowsley for the next three years, reaching up to 250 students each year.
Key facts
Through the programme, students will develop essential employability skills including teamwork, leadership, communication, resilience and problem-solving.
Working in cohorts of up to 30, students will take part in real-world challenges with industry professionals, delivered on-site at businesses across Knowsley.
Students will be supported by volunteers from partner businesses to design and deliver a final presentation. Previous participants have developed app-based solutions to local challenges in partnership with a software company.
Students will also gain hands-on experience through opportunities including a week at Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot, designing a community space with the Sustainability Team at Knowsley Council, and working behind the scenes at retailer QVC.
By the end of the programme, students will have explored different career paths, created their own projects, developed a professional local network and built real examples of their skills for future interviews and applications.
The initiative aims to:
Jo Hannan, Head of the Fusion21 Foundation said: “As a business with Knowsley roots, we are proud to support a project that is making a sustainable local impact, helping young people to develop the skills, confidence and connections that will open doors to education and employment opportunities.”
Jon Maguire, Education Programme Director at the Telos Foundation, added: “This partnership with the Fusion21 Foundation is helping us to deliver vital work with some of the most talented - yet often-overlooked - young people in the area. It really will be life-changing for so many of them.”
The long-term aim is to create sustained opportunities for young people in Knowsley by connecting them with education, employers and practical experience that can help prevent future disengagement from learning and work.