Profi: Working with young people across North Wales to develop employability skills
The Profi project aims to boosts confidence and helps young people develop transferable employability skills and self-worth through a series of weekly workshops intended to offer a number of different experiences to help broaden horizons.
- Profi runs annually, working with young people across North Wales to develop transferable employability skills.
- Currently partners with 17 employers and three charities.
- Works alongside Bangor University student volunteers.
- Supported financially by many local businesses such as Horizon Nuclear Power and Santander Universities.
Profi translates into English as prove and is a key element of the University’s civic mission strategy.
Horizon Nuclear was one of the original sponsors of the project, building on the University’s partnership, but is also a good attractor for other smaller sponsoring businesses who benefit from the opportunity to network with larger companies like Horizon, as well as the non-profit sector and public organisations involved, obtaining access to both schools and University student volunteers.
As part of Profi, local charities are invited to write briefs for school pupils in North Wales schools which contains issues in the community that need to be resolved. Working alongside Bangor University student volunteers, the pupils work as mixed teams to develop project ideas to tackle these issues, leading towards a grand final where they must demonstrate the skills and competencies they have gained throughout the project and pitch their ideas to a panel of judges hoping to win £500 for their charity to run their project.
In 2017/18 Profi received the Culture step grant through the creative partnership held by Horizon Nuclear Power and Santander Universities, and through its hard work and success the Horizon Nuclear Power and Profi-Bangor University’s creative partnership, was shortlisted for the Arts and Business and Community Award.
The project brings together a number of organisations to support their communities and continues to grow its partnerships year on year.
Claire Burgess, Horizon’s Education Programme Co-ordinator, said: ‘Profi is an important part of the work we do with young people across North Wales, supporting the development of essential employability skills. We’re delighted that the Profi project has been shortlisted for an Arts and Business Award and proud to be part of their success.’
Profi is supported financially by many local businesses and organisations namely Horizon Nuclear Power, Santander Universities, Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK, Cartrefi Cymunedol Gwynedd, Magnox Ltd, Arts and Business Culture step grant, North Wales Economic Ambition Board, North and Mid Wales Reaching Wider Partnership. Profi also receives support from NatWest, Bangor Students’ Union and has partnerships with the Princes Trust, Careers Wales and many local charities.