Spokes
A business-focused CIC offering practical skills and work experience to young people with learning disabilities.
Securing a first job can be challenging for any young person leaving education. But for those with learning disabilities gaining experience, skills and secure employment is especially tough.
Spokes CIC, a social enterprise in Kidderminster, aims to fill in the gap for these young people by giving them training in bicycle repair and maintenance. Founded in 2006, it grew out of a previous project, which faced closure due to financial difficulties. Chris Jordan, whose own son has learning difficulties, didn바카라 사이트檛 want to see the project close, so he stepped in with two partners to turn it into a viable business.
바카라 사이트淭he majority of our young people come for one or two days a week,바카라 사이트� he says. 바카라 사이트淭hey바카라 사이트檝e left college and are looking for work, but finding it hard. We help them to develop work skills. They get to maintain a level of discipline, turning up on time in the morning, and taking part in a workplace. It builds their self-esteem.바카라 사이트�
Spokes aims to generate at least 50 per cent of its income through trading, which comes from bike sales and repair and maintenance charges. It collects bikes from schools to repair and fixes local police bikes. Other income comes through grants and from social services. Spokes also works with Kidderminster College, helping its learning disability group build bicycles for 바카라 사이트楤ikes for Africa바카라 사이트�, a charity exporting bikes to the Gambia that enable children living in rural villages to get to school. It also has developed a new course 바카라 사이트� The Route to Work Diploma that is focused on developing employability skills.
Jordan knew from the start that Spokes had to work towards becoming self-reliant, and that the CIC model was most suitable for it. 바카라 사이트淚 don바카라 사이트檛 think it바카라 사이트檚 right to run a social enterprise entirely on grants,바카라 사이트� he says. 바카라 사이트淔rom the start we pursued a focused business model. However we바카라 사이트檙e not just a bike shop 바카라 사이트� our priority here is to help young people get into work.바카라 사이트�
The CIC model, he says, was a quick and easy way of getting Spokes started and clarifying its purpose. 바카라 사이트淚t바카라 사이트檚 ideal, because it gave us the flexibility to move quickly. Setting up a charity, you need to focus in the initial stages on getting the administration right and locating suitable and willing Trustees As a CIC, we could get on with things quicker. But it also allowed us to prove that we are working under a social model with no personal gain to us.바카라 사이트�
Recently, Spokes became the trading arm of the Emily Jordan Foundation, a charity set up in memory of Chris Jordan바카라 사이트檚 own daughter, Emily, who died in 2008. Emily was a great help in getting Spokes off the ground, whilst at University studying Law. She was killed in New Zealand whilst river boarding.
The Foundation raises money for people with learning disabilities 바카라 사이트� its aim is very simple: To help individuals with moderate learning or physical disabilities to lead fulfilled lives. As a CIC, its assets cannot be used for personal profit, but the structure fits perfectly as a charity바카라 사이트檚 linked trading organisation.
Meanwhile, Jordan is already seeing huge benefit to the young people coming to Spokes and hopes to expand the organisation. 바카라 사이트淥ne young man wouldn바카라 사이트檛 say a word to anybody when he joined us,바카라 사이트� he says. 바카라 사이트淭wo years on, he stood on stage with me and spoke at an event. That development of self-belief means a lot.바카라 사이트�
| Name | Spokes |
| Location | Kidderminster, Worcestershire |
| Company structure | CIC limited by guarantee |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Community interest statement | Spokes enables individuals with social, physical or learning difficulties to gain skills and confidence to help them progress into work. |
Find out more about