Leamington team win award for helping the young find work

Hybrid Arts, based in Spencer Yard, has been working with Coventry City Council on supporting young people - many of whom have little or no work experience, low confidence and low work-place skills - in their search for a job.

Now the city council has selected the enterprise for its Placement Friendly Employer award to recognise the work Hybrid Arts has put in on tailoring placements, internships and apprenticeships - both paid and unpaid - to meet the needs of those involved.

Hybrid Arts’ programme manager Stella Carr said: “We found that almost all of the interns we have supported have been recent graduates, largely from arts subjects, who found themselves unable to break into the Creative sector, despite their skills and enthusiasm.

“We are really proud that the efforts of our excellent team of mentors, along with the enthusiasm of the wonderful Interns we have supported, have now been recognised in this way.”

Two of the interns who worked with the enterprise in 2012 impressed the team so much that they were taken on as freelance visual art and music trainers - and they have since worked their way up to becoming permanent employees and are receiving teacher training support.

This year, interns are working in a variety of roles including filmmaker, events manager, print room technician and web designer.

City councillor Lynnette Kelly, responsible for policy on business, enterprise and employment, said: “Hybrid Arts gas provided lots of opportunities to a number of young people and it is credit to their hard work that everyone they have worked with has thrived.”

To find out more about Hybrid Arts, visit hybridarts.co.uk