As further evidence of its commitment to help Britain prosper, Lloyds Banking Group is extending its support for social entrepreneurs. With a specific focus in the capital, the Group will provide backing, together with the Cabinet Office, to The London Evening Standard's Frontline London campaign Phase II.

Ten London-based social entrepreneurs, from disadvantaged backgrounds, will be given the opportunity to participate in the ground-breaking scheme. By demonstrating their commitment to building a positive future and transforming their lives and those of others, these ten 18 to 30 year olds will be rewarded with a grant of up to £8,000, a business mentor from Lloyds Banking Group and access to an seven-month tailored learning programme from the School for Social Entrepreneurs.

Addressing a need

The Frontline London campaign was launched following an Evening Standard investigation into street gangs. Phase I saw three groups supported by the Evening Standard, in partnership with the charity Kids Company, exit gang life and set up social enterprises.

Phase II of the campaign, backed by £150,000 funding from Lloyds Bank and the Cabinet Office, invites young Londoners to apply for one of ten life-changing opportunities on the programme. Applications are open online at www.standard.co.uk/news/frontlinelondon/ from now until 02 May 14, when shortlisted candidates will have the opportunity to pitch their idea to a Dragons Den style selection panel. The business ideas may be commercial, but should also have a social purpose, e.g. helping to employ disadvantaged young people, or addressing a need within their community.

The ten selected candidates will start their seven-month learning programme at the School for Social Entrepreneurs in June. The programme will include inspirational speakers and workshops with experienced entrepreneurs and a wide range of relevantly experienced Lloyds Banking Group colleagues will become involved as business mentors.

School for Social Entrepreneurs Chief Executive Alastair Wilson said: "Although we have delivered programmes to more than 1200 social entrepreneurs since we were founded 16 years ago, the Frontline London campaign takes us into new territory. We believe a cracking social entrepreneur needs passion, drive and creativity, not a load of qualifications. Through this partnership, we can support ten promising social entrepreneurs to transform their lives and create real impact in their communities."

Helping Britain prosper

The Lloyds Banking Group Social Entrepreneurs programme plays a vital role in the bank's business strategy of helping Britain prosper. An existing partnership with the School for Social Entrepreneurs, currently in its second year, supports social entrepreneurs in communities in order to help stimulate economic growth and regeneration across the UK. In addition to the ten participants in the Frontline London campaign, the Group has committed to support 1,300 social entrepreneurs on the programme by 2017. 

Graham Lindsay, Responsible Business and Community Affairs Director for Lloyds Banking Group, said: "We are delighted to be part of this important initiative. We already run a programme that supports nearly 300 social entrepreneurs across Britain every year, providing grants and access to learning support and a mentoring scheme. The Frontline London campaign allows us to contribute further, helping young social entrepreneurs in London who have overcome tough backgrounds to realise their potential and provide role models for others to follow. We hope it illustrates our commitment to helping Britain prosper. We are immensely proud to be playing this further role."

Demonstrating leadership

Nick Hurd, Minister for Civil Society, said: "When I met with young people in South London, two things impacted me: their anger and their desire to feel part of society and supported in their aspirations. I wanted to do something about that, so I am excited by this partnership and congratulate Lloyds Banking Group and the Evening Standard on their leadership. The opportunity to set up social business will change the lives of these young people. It gives them a chance to make money and help their community. Their journey will show their peers what can be achieved outside the gang.  I hope Londoners get behind them."

Applications for The London Evening Standard's Frontline campaign Phase II can be made at www.standard.co.uk/news/frontlinelondon/ from now until 02 May.

ENDS

 For more information please contact:

Heather Scott: 07770 643840 or heatherscott@halifax.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

About Lloyds Bank

Lloyds Bank is part of Lloyds Banking Group, the largest financial services investor in UK communities. The Group invested £85m in its communities during 2013, as well as 2012 and has a heritage of making a difference within its communities that spans many decades. For the first time in its history the Group has recently published its Helping Britain Prosper Plan that outlines seven separate and significant public commitments to address some of the big issues facing Britain today. The Group has committed to deliver 2.3 million paid volunteering hours via its colleagues to support community projects as well as committing to support 10,000 community organisations by 2020. www.lloydsbankcommunities.com/

About the Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme

The partnership with the School of Social Entrepreneurs sits right at the heart of the Lloyds Bank business strategy to Help Britain Prosper.  It is one of its flagship programmes designed to support social entrepreneurs in communities and, through them, help stimulate economic growth and regeneration across the UK.

The School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) has 17 years of experience designing and delivering action learning programmes for social entrepreneurs. SSE currently delivers programmes in 12 UK locations and has international schools in Canada, Ireland and Australia. For more information on School for Social Entrepreneurs programmes and impact visit www.the-sse.org.

Launched in April 2012, the Lloyds Bank Social Entrepreneurs Programme provides both financial support (grants from between £4,000 - £15,000) and access to a comprehensive learning support programme including a business mentoring scheme.  Over the next five years the programme, which is also supported by The Big Lottery Fund, will support around 1,300 social entrepreneurs to Start and Scale innovative social organisations.

About the London Evening Standard Frontline London campaign

Frontline London was launched in October 2013 following an Evening Standard investigation into street gangs that revealed shocking levels of exposure of some young Londoners to shootings and stabbings in their community. In partnership with the charity Kids Company, we did something no British newspaper had ever attempted: we backed young people trying to exit gang life and helped them to set up as social entrepreneurs. This pilot is up and running.

Applications for Phase II are now open and close at 5pm on 2nd May. SSE will shortlist up to 20 applicants who will be invited to pitch their idea on 21st May to a Dragons Den type selection panel comprising representatives of the four partners of the scheme. The ten selected candidates will be announced in the Evening Standard and will start their one-day-a-month learning programme at the School for Social Entrepreneurs in June, where they will be given the support they need to turn their idea into reality. They will also receive a start-up grant of up to £8,000 each and a one-on-one business mentor from Lloyds Banking Group to ensure maximum chance of success.

Participants in the programme must be:

  • Aged 18 to 30, living in London
  • Not engaged in criminal activity
  • From a disadvantaged background and committed to turning your life around
  • Ready to pursue a viable social business idea or a commercial business idea that also has a social purpose (such as employing young people in your area)
  • Committed to attending the SSE support programme comprising one day of intensive support per month over eight months

www.standard.co.uk/news/frontlinelondon/

About the Cabinet Office

Cabinet Office is working with the private and voluntary sector to inspire and help to turn around the lives of vulnerable young people. We launched a £3million Fund at the end of 2013 to scale voluntary sectors organisations working in this space.

Cabinet Office is backing the 'Frontline' campaign to provide support to up to 10 young people (age 18-30) from vulnerable and ex-gang related backgrounds to set up their own social businesses.  Funding from Lloyds Banking Group and Cabinet Office will provide grants of up to £8,000 for each individual business as well as skill development and mentoring from the School for Social Entrepreneurs.

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