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Daylight shines on social enterprise’s inaugural year

A not-for-profit social enterprise set up by clients at Step-by-Step, Aldershot’s charity for homeless young people, has proved highly successful in its first twelve months of operation. Trading as Daylight Designs, the enterprise encourages young people to gain valuable business skills that will help to improve their employment prospects.

Daylight Designs products, which are designed and manufactured by Step by Step clients, include jewellery, bookmarks, Ecobags, greetings cards and T-shirts which are sold at craft fairs and other events. Profits from sales are ploughed back into Step by Step’s Youth Development Service, of which Daylight Designs is a part.

Steve Allen, Daylight Designs’ tutor says, “A major benefit of the scheme is that it encourages the young people involved to improve their numeracy and literacy skills while gaining useful commercial experience such as formulating business plans, stock control and ordering raw materials.” Meeting people at the craft events provides a valuable opportunity for clients to enhance their self-confidence as they describe to potential customers how Step By Step operates and ways in which people can support the charity. Every purchaser receives a brief outline of a typical client’s background (written on a business card) to help explain what the enterprise is about; the reaction from the public is always very positive.

Daylight Designs recently had a stall at Fleet Gala Evening and took over £100 in sales of Christmas craft items such as tree decorations and hand-made crackers, as well as their usual range of products. The enterprise has also attended the Farnham Maltings Craft Fair and Virgin Media HQ in Hook. Future sales events are scheduled for Sun Microsystems and Nokia among others.

The project has benefited from the help of Business Link’s Community Outreach Worker, Claire Cutler-Casey, and by volunteers from local businesses.

To arrange for Daylight Designs to attend your craft fair or workplace, Becky Rudge will be delighted to hear from you on 01252 332514.

©2009 Step by Step Partnership Ltd   :   Reg. Charity No. 900308    :   Company No. 2431825