Launch Party SuccessFirst Great Steps Towards The Last Mile
Last Monday saw the official launch of The Equal Last Mile Development Partnership: South Yorkshire, with a tremendously successful evening of entertainment and networking at The HUBS in Sheffield.
The Launch Party gave many guests the opportunity to meet new people and find out about some of the partner organisations for the first time, like Higher Rhythm Recording Studio, for example, who are based in Doncaster.
Plus there was praise for the quality of the entertainment line-up which featured special performances by talented Last Mile beneficiaries who have recently completed, or are currently undergoing, training and support on the programme. Look out for further showcasing events in the future!
Each partner had an information stall and with a screening, live music, DJs, dancing and an exhibit of spray-can art, the evening was a great illustration of the potential of their partnership working and the diversity of their skills and outreach.
Over the next 21 months the partnership will contribute to promoting equality in the workplace by working towards securing pathways into employment in the cultural industries for traditionally under-represented groups such as young people, women, people from working class and black and minority ethnic backgrounds, helping individuals ‘the last mile’ into employment in their chosen fields and aiding the start-up of 30 new businesses.
The Equal Last Mile Development Partnership: South Yorkshire is Sheffield Cultural Industries Quarter (CIQ) Agency, who are coordinating the project, and delivery partners Higher Rhythm Recording Studio, Sheffield Independent Film and Television (SHIFT), The Drum Community Media Centre, Harmony Training, Inspiral and The Non Stop Foundation.
For Harmony Training the Launch Party was a double celebration. Josie Robson and Elly Tams are in the unique position of being both delivery partners and beneficiaries on the project, having set up their new social enterprise earlier this year. Josie said, "Tonight we are launching our new business and marking the achievements of the amazingly talented women who came on our first 'Training the Trainers' course. It is an exciting time for us because now we have some women trainers who can go on and train other women in music and industry skills".
Harmony Training will be running another 'Training the Trainers' course in Doncaster soon. For more information contact info@harmonytraining.org.uk
For more information on The Last Mile contact Linda Marshall, Acting Programme Coordinator on 0114 275 2609 or email linda@ciq.org.uk
The Equal Last Mile Development Partnership is part-funded by the European Social Fund under the Equal Community Initiative Programme.
The whole programme and Harmony Training are also supported by Arts Council England.
