Last week, SOS-UK successfully hired four Kickstarters through Race for Nature, a scheme which we co-run with Action for Conservation, Generation Success and Voyage Youth.
What is the Kickstart Scheme?
The Kickstart scheme is a government scheme encouraging youth employment across the UK. Race for Nature is using the Kickstart Scheme to diversify the environmental sector, which is the second-least diverse profession in the UK after farming. We have partnered with over 30 environmental and sustainability charities across the UK to work on employing more people of colour, as these communities are those suffering the most from the climate crisis.
Race for Nature has been awarded funding for 131 roles by the Department for Work and Pensions, of which 75 places have been appointed to 24 organisations. Of the 75, 31 are people of colour (41%), but we are working hard to get this up to 50%.
At SOS-UK our Kickstarters have already been hard at work across their appointed tasks as Climate Change Project Administrators. So far, they have been working at their assigned tasks including developing communications for us, supporting our research, and maintaining our social media.
Meet the Team!
Erica
is working as part of the fundraising and sponsorship team where she will help to review programs, campaigns, and fundraising opportunities. When not working, she enjoys long walks, podcasts and exploring new food spots.
Franceska
has been working with the marketing and communications team. This work entails creating communications and marketing materials, organising events, and developing communications databases. In her personal time, she enjoys reading novels, particularly by Black authors, swimming, photography, and travelling.
Rajneet
is working alongside the programme and campaign support team, which involves a wide scope of activities from branding to liaising with external organisations. In her spare time, she volunteers at her local RSPB Nature Reserve and manages her own environmental Instagram account, which aims to raise awareness of the consequences and solutions to tackling climate change.
Sumaiyah
is working with the research team, which involves data handling and making data accessible to the public. Recently she has published an article on student views on the climate crisis and COP26, based on research carried out by SOS-UK in September 2021. Outside of work she enjoys reading, cooking, re-watching feel-good movies and cycling.
All four Kickstarters have also begun working on our latest exciting project, which has a working title of Green 2.0, and aims to analyse diversity within the environmental sector. These past two weeks, our Kickstarters have liaised with potential partners and begun their research into current diversity trends in the sector. We can’t wait to see what else they do with their time with us over the next 6 months!