Our Areas of Impact
Social Ark has been investing in leaders with lived experience since 2014, equipping young social entrepreneurs from under-resourced, and sometimes challenging backgrounds, with the skills needed to develop their own social businesses. We’ve experienced being ‘othered’ and locked out of opportunities in favour of people that come up with 'solutions' to our toughest problems, despite never walking a day in our shoes. The 2019 Leaders with Lived Experience report by Baljeet Sandhu resonates deeply with us, identifying:
‘Leadership opportunities for emerging and experienced Lived Experience Leaders were very limited and that people with decision-making power in the sector do not meaningfully and equitably value the knowledge, insights, perspectives, and views that those leaders bring to their work’.
At Social Ark, constantly challenging this closed-off mindset is actually at the core of everything we do. We exist to give young people the opportunities that others take for granted, and ensure that young lived experience leaders are supported to be the very best they can be.
Social Inclusion: The Social Ark ethos is to support the development of projects and businesses that uphold and insist on our inclusive values. Social Ark was born out of inequality, prejudice and injustice. We are a truly inclusive, non-political, secular working-class organisation made up of individuals from all backgrounds, races and faiths.
Building True Sustainability: Building true sustainability goes hand-in-hand with supporting Lived Experience Leaders to hone the skills needed to be the change they want to see. We provide a programme of workshops, mentoring and personalised support which enables young people to focus on their assets and talents. In this way we build on their goals and create a springboard of positive action that results in them becoming community leaders, building sustainability from the bottom up.
Empowering Lived Experience Leaders: Social Ark is passionate about supporting determined young people to become grassroots social entrepreneurs and community leaders. From experience, we know that individuals with the lived experiences of the inequalities they seek to change will deliver the most impact.
