Renaisi
Renaisi was founded by Hackney Council in 1998 to regenerate deprived neighbourhoods in Hackney, East London.
The Wize Horizons project is an intensive and structured employability programme that integrates and embeds digital skills learning into the employment support journey so that beneficiaries acquire the skills they need to access employment opportunities online.
The project will boost the economic inclusion of over 50s, boosting digital skills for employability, and boosting digital skills for later life – during and beyond the project.
As well as supporting individuals to boost their skills and confidence, Renaisi will work directly with employers to raise awareness of the systemic barriers that marginalise individuals, and work in partnership to create more inclusive solutions.
Renaisi hopes that with the support of Power Up 2.0 it can generate learning to refine its approach to service design of future programmes.
In conversation with Renaisi
What inspired you to apply for Power Up funding?
Renaisi has been delivering services in communities across London for over 10 years, supporting people to progress towards and secure sustainable employment. We know that digital has become central to our lives, from how we find work to how we connect and communicate with our friends and family.
In recent years there has been a rapid shift to digital working, with businesses and people needing to adapt to a changing world. Many people are motivated to improve their digital skills to ensure they can meet employer expectations. Renaisi’s long term strategy was to embed digital support into our programmes and provide a person-centred digital skills approach that fits in seamlessly with our employability programmes. This funding allows us to do this and to develop a robust programme of digital tutoring for the people and places we support.
What does the funding mean to your organisation?
The funding from Power Up provides an opportunity to develop new ideas and generate learning to support organisational development. Funding from Good Things Foundation and JP Morgan Chase allows Renaisi to invest in developing a programme of digital skills and ensure we continue to impact and change people’s lives for the better.
How do you hope your project will help your local community?
Renaisi’s goal is to help individuals access long term sustainable employment. Our project will focus on job seekers who are over 50. This group have been identified as those whose digital skills and use of technology has not kept pace with the changing world of work. Renaisi will support individuals to develop new digital skills that align with employer needs.
What’s the main thing you would like to get out of your involvement in the Power Up programme?
Renaisi is excited by the opportunity to engage with a diverse range of organisations that are experts in supporting communities with digital skills. Renaisi pro-actively builds partnerships and is interested in learning and developing best practice in everything we do. We will develop a digital skills support programme and empower not only the 50+ customer group but seek to address inequalities in digital skills knowledge across our service offer. Finally, since Good Things Foundation is a new funder for us, we look forward to learning more about the organisation and how we can support each other’s work in the long-term.