The Pop Up Talent shop

The Pop Up Talent programme puts a new twist on helping young people find a job they love and connect with local employers.

Working in an industry or profession you love is often a dream rather than a reality for many, even more so for young people across the country. It’s not easy to find a job you love or want to really do, which is why many unemployed young people can experience low motivation or a lost direction.

With this in mind, the Pop Up Talent Shop aims to eliminate these feelings of demotivation, confusion and frustration, and instead provide a platform for young people to discover their hidden talents, as well as develop and use the talents they already have.

By providing young people with hands-on taster sessions and experiences in multiple industries delivered by working people and local businesses, the shop aims to assist young people to find clarity in their future dreams and aspirations, where they can begin to set targets and achieve goals.

For example, a nurse may show young people how to take blood pressure over a conversation around health and nursing. Once demonstrated, these young people can then practice on each other and begin to learn more about the role of a nurse in a controlled, relaxed and vibrant setting.

This can also be applied to a baker, graphic designer, musician and many more professionals. Instead of young people receiving multiple leaflets and booklets about a profession, they can begin to gain real experiences, delivered by real people working in the field, which enables young people to make and maintain real relationships, as well as have fun.

In order for these shops to have a positive impact on young people and the wider community, it is crucial that they:

1.  Are diverse. No two young people are the same, so we need activities and workshops that apply to a range of different people. Through surveying young people about their interests and aspirations we can continue to cater to their needs.

2.  Are youthful. Pop Up Shops should be engaging, informal, creative and fun. No suits. No CVs. Here young people have the opportunity of meeting local business owners, employers, trainers, colleagues or friends in a relaxed and comfortable environment.

3.  Provide opportunities to develop. The shop doesn’t give young people a job, nor do the exhibitors, but it does give young people the opportunity to find themselves and their interests.

4.  Give ownership to young people. The shops should be run by young people, for young people, thereby changing perception and allowing youth to pioneer innovative ways of engaging and stimulating their generation and those yet to come.

5.  Are inclusively engaging. Not just for young people who visit the shop for the experience, but for the wider community. There are multiple ways for people to support and get involved, not just at the shop but throughout the whole Pop Up Talent programme. For example as a mentor for a young person, as a judge on a panel, providing work experiences, providing kind donations and assisting with promotion.

Unfortunately, Job Centre Plus has become an unwanted destination for the one million unemployment youth across the country. With graduates unable to get jobs and young people who are employed, losing their jobs, it makes it even harder for youth to feel positive about their futures.

The first Pop Up Talent Shop launched on Friday 1st November in Braintree, Essex. The shop attracted over 100 young people, 83 of whom had been positively stimulated to enter into work and education as a result of the shop.

The Pop Up Shop is only the first phase of the programme, as Pop Up Talent is a three stage process to help young people back into work.

From the shop, young people will register onto the Generator programme where they will create and deliver a social action project. Young people will document their journey online via the Learning Platform, using videos, pictures, audios and blogs and will earn badges in different disciplines such as design, research, networking and money management – all skills needed in the working world.

From the Learning Platform, young people then graduate to the Talent Pool, which is where employers and working people then fish for talent – in a pool of work-ready individuals.

Throughout November, Pop Up Talent Shops will be taking place in Mitcham, Harlow and Wimbledon.

In the New Year the initiative will expand to Birmingham and Wales, all with the aim of surrounding young people with opportunities to make or take work for themselves, in an environment where everyone is keen to see and support their development.

Become a part of this Pop Up Talent journey by following us via @PopUpTalentUK !