Launched in 2010 by a group a group of graduates bent on practicing what Big Society preached, Open Society is a Social Enterprise (registered C.I.C.) with an aim to inspire confidence in young people and offer new opportunities for them in the face of high youth unemployment and a tightening job market. By offering access to a network of members, creative and enterprise projects, free events, useful resources, jobs paid internships and other opportunities, Open Society exists to help young people lead on developing their own skills and experience at the start of their careers. Membership to Open Society is free, and always will be. Projects: We focus very strongly on supporting projects run by our members. We believe that working together on projects, young people can bring their ideas to life, gain valuable insight into a career path and forge important relationships and business connections. Start-Up Resources: From online networks to funding opportunities and willing mentors, there are countless resources to help aspiring entrepreneurs, the majority of them available for free. These resources can be found on our website and in the information packs we provide at all of our workshops and events. Events: London is buzzing with free events for entrepreneurs. Whether they are for networking or pitching for funding, skills workshops or volunteering opportunities, we find them all and post them on the events page of our site. Jobs: Finding jobs right now is difficult; finding a job that you love is even more so. Our jobs board plays host to vacancies and paid internship roles doing exciting, meaningful things. All of the internships supported by Open Society are paid a minimum of £50 per day. 1.) To maintain a platform of real use to aspiring young entrepreneurs and jobseekers within the creative and charitable industries, and start-ups. Open Society membership is free, and always will be. Joining online makes you a full member, at which point you will receive: Lasting between 60 and 90 minutes, and with audience participation at the core of every workshop plan, our workshops deliver a highly engaging introduction to topics that are of real interest to students and graduates today. Every workshop concentrates on useful skills that can translate to the workplace, delivered in the context of creative industry examples. For overall understanding of a business topic, we also deliver presentations of 60-90 minutes with an expert in the field. Post your jobs and paid internship roles on our jobs board for FREE Host an Open Work Experience Day at your workplace to bring in young people interested in your industry, meet them and hire the very best. Ask us about our bespoke recruitment packages for your business or organisation Maxim Lester Contact for: membership, projects, blog Contact for:employers, mentors, press, events Contact for: press, media Contact for: educational services, events Where to find us: 29 Oxford Street, W1D
About us
We focus on four main areas:
Our Aims
2.) To provide and advertise opportunities and free resources for young people so that they can lead on their skill development and own enterprises.
3.) To inspire young people to pursue their project and business ideas, and to provide a supportive community for them to grow within.
4.) To inform young people of matters that affect them, including their working rights.
5.) To provide free educational workshops and presentations of real interest to young people.
6.) To provide a platform for interesting jobs and ethical (i.e. paid) internships for free use by our members.
7.) To grow Open Society into a national network for like-minded people across the UK.Membership
• Full access to all areas of the site, including projects, resources and job opportunities
• The periodical member newsletter, with top news, events projects and jobs
• Invitations to free OS events and Open Workshops
• The ability to post your own projects on the projects page
• Job and paid internship opportunities
Please note that you must be between 18 and 30 years of age to join Open Society as a member.
If you would like to join as an educator, employer, coach or community group, please follow the links from the home page.OS for Educators
Open Society works with universities, colleges and schools to deliver interactive workshops, presentations by inspiring young entrepreneurs and project leaders. Focusing on creative projects, innovative business ideas, and current trends, and with young industry experts delivering the workshops, we offer an inspiring alternative to existing extra-curricular entrepreneur advice seminars.
Workshops
Recent workshops: ‘Starting and Running a Pop-Up Shop’, ‘Making friends with Journalists: An introduction to PR’, ‘Writing, Producing & Releasing: Living your independent film project’, ‘Creating a career in Creative Events’, ‘Organize your own Music Festival’, ‘Idea Generation in business’…Presentations:
Recent Presentations: ‘How to start a business’, ‘Building Websites on a Shoestring with WordPress’, Making an Impact with Social Media’, ‘Digital Media Skills for Employment’…OS for Employers
It’s our aim to bridge the gap between young people and businesses. By providing a unique platform for young people who are actively engaged in learning skills, delivering projects, and networking, Open Society attracts a high caliber of people who may be the perfect candidates for your next entry to mid-level role.How can you engage Open Society members?
Contact
Director
maxim.lester@opensociety.co.uk
Annie Broadbent
Director
annie.broadbent@opensociety.co.uk
Tom Rendell
Director
tom.rendell@opensociety.co.uk
Bea Addis
Project Manager
bea.addis@opensociety.co.uk