Number of jobs created: 6
Project in operation: since 2013
Location covered: UK/RoI
Having left university, the founders who created this social enterprise found themselves in short-term, poorly paid jobs. Their initial goal was to secure well paid full-time employment for themselves in the film and media sector. Over the five years that this company has been in operation the initial objectives have been met with the actual number of employees having doubled.
This project started in one of the founder’s bedrooms, after some time they decided to hire workspace in their local enterprise agency/incubation centre. They didn’t receive any funding per se, but they received mentoring support from the local regional business start programme. Later in the process they received business development mentoring from a local government programme which supported social enterprises. They started off with small filming commissions for local charities and social enterprises, providing professional media content at what was affordable prices. As time passed they broadened their portfolio, skill sets and equipment inventory having moved into corporate video production. They now also provide valuable experience and training for students, graduates and the unemployed in a sector which has traditionally been very difficult for young people to get established with opportunities virtually non-existent outside large cities.
The result of this project is that 6 young people now work in a sector with employment opportunities traditionally viewed as only available in large cities - they have almost single handedly developed the sector they now serve in their home town. They have well paid jobs (by local standards) and haven’t needed to move to London or Dublin as many of their cohort did.
The difficulties were mostly down to lack of funding and poor cash flow. These issues were mitigated by paying careful attention to the finances with salaries not being drawn in the early days. To keep costs down e.g. filming equipment was borrowed, bought second hand and computers were taken in from home. The fact that the founders were living at home also helped to keep costs down to a minimum.
Concello de Vedra
Avda. Mestre Manuel Gómez Lorenzo Nº1
15885 Vedra, A Coruña (Spain)
Email: info@concellodevedra.com
Phone: +34 981 81 46 12
