Retail programme for youngsters

Tuesday, 07 August 2012

Providing experience: Anahid Basmajian from the Retail Trust

By Anna Temkin

TWO charities have teamed up to run a free 12-week skills development and volunteering programme for young people hoping to progress in the retail sector.

Retail Trust is collaborating with vInspired, a charity dedicated to motivating young people, to offer those aged between 16 and 25 the opportunity to participate in Retail Ready People.

There are 30 places available on the programme, which will consist of five weekly skills workshops, free retail training, and the chance to set up and run a high street pop-up shop in Enfield for a month.

Young volunteers will take over an empty shop and transform it into a creative retail space. They will manage all aspects of the shop, including visual merchandising, stock control, PR, marketing and finance.

Anahid Basmajian, marketing and communications manager at the Retail Trust, said: “We want to help young people get as much experience as possible in something that they might not otherwise have the opportunity to get involved with. The programme will enable them to work across a range of disciplines.”

The scheme will begin on September 23 and end on December 16. Applicants must live, work or study in Enfield and have a desire to pursue a career in retail. Those not in education, employment or training are also eligible for the programme. Applications are now open and the deadline is 27 August.

There will be a three-day induction camp for successful applicants when they will brainstorm their ideas for the pop-up initiative and express their key areas of interest.

Participants will learn about the theory of marketing and the skills required to run a shop. They will receive feedback and guidance from their project managers throughout the programme.

The project will run in ten high street locations across England until 2014, with Enfield and Brighton and Hove city confirmed as the first two locations for 2012.

Anahid added: “The programme is for anybody who wants to challenge perceptions of youth and develop themselves. We really want to hear from young people in Enfield and support their ideas.”

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