Accentuate

The programme allowed young people to develop key business skills, explore their entrepreneurial energies, and appreciate the value of international collaboration in a world-class business environment.

Delivered by Creative Junction with partners Readipop and East Berkshire Education Business Partnership (EBeBP), Realise! has created a legacy of improved representation and opportunities for young disabled people in business and enterprise.

The Readipop group of young people gained practical experience of the music industry by taking part in a number of sessions. This culminated in the delivery of two highly successful music nights at studios in Reading. In addition, Readipop pursued the international links element of the programme, working with young people from Salvador. Young people from both groups shared tracks, remixes and learnt how to collaborate online.

Furthermore, a new partnership between Ways Into Work (an employment and training service from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council) and Readipop worked towards securing 16 meaningful work experience placements with local businesses, including radio stations, music festivals and international corporations like O2 and Fujitsu.

One of the groups taking part in Realise! the Star Helpers, worked with mentors from Groundwork Thames Valley and PwC and unveiled their idea to help older people living in residential homes at Reaching for Gold (R4G), a competition designed to link business men and women with young people, which won them third place!

Part of of the Create, Compete and Collaborate (CCC) initiative, Realise!  successfully helped promote the Olympic values of ‘excellence, respect and friendship’, broadening the international outlook of young people in the region and encouraging the qualities of openness, understanding, enquiry, equality and cooperation.

Accentuate projects have been collecting examples of how their work is having an impact.  Whether this is the personal experience of an individual, or the influence Accentuate projects have had on organisations. Click the link to view the case studies.