In case you missed our most recent newsletter, we’ve put together this blog to keep you in the loop!
Are you hiring an apprentice or through the Kickstart scheme?
Tips for employing young people in 2021.
With the country slowly opening back up, and the introduction of the government’s Kickstart scheme, It’s highly likely that your organisation may be looking to recruit new talent and offer opportunities to young people. 16-25 year olds have been disproportionately impacted by job losses over the last 12 months, and many more have missed out on furlough due to zero hour or casual contracts, or working on a freelance/self-employed basis.
Fortunately there is hope. The Kickstart scheme offers funding for organisations to employ 16-24 year olds at risk of long term unemployment a paid 6 month role. Many organisations are looking for digital natives to come on board to help shape more digital focused initiatives and marketing, and many more will simply find that more young people are applying to roles they advertise.
Click here to read the full blog.
Inside The Circle
Inside The Circle
We’ve welcomed some amazing new tenants into The Circle community so far in 2021. The diversity of our current tenants is a testament to the versatility and variety of spaces at The Circle; Ideal for regional head offices and small scale manufacturing alike. We currently have five office spaces available to let within the premises. If you are looking to relocate to an affordable space, or hoping to find new offices after a long period of working from home, contact Paul, The Circle Manager, at [email protected], or call 01382 699990.
An Ode To… Opportunities To Learn
I’m Alice, Digital Learning Producer for The Circle Academy and the person behind The Circle’s newsletters over the last few months. My time working at The Circle as a Time 2 Shine Intern is drawing to a close and I wanted to take the space on this platform to say what an incredible learning opportunity it has been. The time I’ve had learning about the third sector in Dundee, and the lessons learned attending The Academy and putting together resources for the digital platform have been invaluable. I cannot recommend The Academy enough as a profound learning opportunity, and I’ll definitely be tuning into The Circle Networking group once a month for the Squaring The Circle live sessions!
Tenant Of The Month: Wilde Mode
“We specialize in handmade, eco-friendly apparel. Our items include underwear, leggings, and accessories. All our items are gender-free, sensory-friendly, and 100% carbon neutral.
Debz, the the founder of Wilde Mode Ltd on the brand, moving to The Circle, and the brand’s links to mindset and mental health.
We moved into the Circle in Dundee on 22nd March 2021 after being unable to manufacture where we were previously located due to lockdown restrictions. We have loved being at the circle, and it felt like home as soon as we had unpacked! The circle has been amazingly welcoming and accommodating, and we have just moved into our permanent premises, as we loved it here so much we didn’t want to leave! The fact it is open to me 24/7 and I can come and go as I please makes all the difference to my business needs.
We have recently released a new print, called ‘Bluebirds are Good Birds‘; Many cultures believe the color blue brings peace and keeps the negative energy away and bluebirds live up to their name in this regard. The spiritual meaning of bluebirds is joy and happiness. Overall, the bluebird spirit animal almost always means good news, and after the last year we have all had, we can all do with some peace and good news. I founded my business on my recovery from poor mental health, and during lockdown 2 I really suffered again, so being able to be back at work has enabled me to shift my mindset, and to get the business in production again. The bluebirds are more than just good news and peace, they are a symbol of a fresh start and of keeping hope alive when it feels like there is none left. The space at the circle gave me this hope, and I am so excited for what the years to come will bring us!”
Consultancy
Industry Insider: There are still live funds and support available via the Scottish Government to support businesses and self employed people with the effects of Coronavirus. Click here to see what’s available. You can also find some resources from Mind here to help support your employees with their mindset and mental health.
Join The Team: We are currently recruiting for two non-executive directors to join The Circle’ s board who will support our continued growth, working with the Board and our experienced management team under the leadership of our founder Kirsty Thomson. If you have experience developing and implementing marketing and PR strategies, or leading in the delivery of high-quality services and would like to use the skills to contribute to our social impact, Click here.
Opportunities: We have secured funding from Mathew Trust to allow seven individuals to join The Circle Academy. If you are interested in applying for a funded place on our Digital Learning Programme click here for more info, or scroll down for more updates from The Circle Academy.
The Circle Academy
Cohort 4: There’s not long left until we launch cohort 4 of The Circle Academy and the application process is well underway. It’s not too late to apply to our 12 week programme via the application form, and if you are 18-24 and local to Dundee you can apply for a fully funded space on the programme here. If you need a bit more flexibility to learn alongside work and other commitments you might want to consider The Semi Circle Programme instead.
Squaring The Circle: This month we made our Squaring The Circle sessions live and free to access via our networking group. These sessions give an exclusive insight into The Academy Content as well as powerful testimonials from alumni about their journey on the programme. Each session will delve into one of the 12 topics covered by The Academy, with expert insights and real life anecdotes from our founder and CEO, Kirsty Thomson. Click here to join The Circle Networking and make sure to catch the next session when it goes live in April.
Good News
We are delighted to welcome Charli our newest addition to The Circle team on board this month! Here’s a little bit about her journey so far:
“As someone who always tries to keep busy, 2020 was strange. In 2019, I was studying a HNC in Social Sciences , travelling every which way I could afford, and had kept myself very active in my cadet career. My greatest achievement was marching 100 miles over four days in Nijmegen, which I had been training for since I was sixteen. Most people who know me would say I am friendly and filled with boundless energy, so I made new friends almost every day.
Charli, Office Assistant
Then suddenly I only had my cat and snail (Dorian and Algernon) as company, my course had ended, and I was furloughed from my work. There wasn’t much for me to do except cuddle Dorian and read the books I had been stockpiling. I had been looking for a new job to jump into for almost a year when I started applying for work through the Kickstart Scheme. I had a lot of interviews that week but the one which stood out was The Circle; I felt comfortable within minutes of the introductions and I was nervous to hear back about whether I got the spot as their Office Assistant because it was the first interview I was excited by in such a long time.
Now, two weeks into my new job, I find myself happily situated at The Circle, learning a lot about office work and drinking more coffee daily than some cafés serve in a week! I never expected to feel comfortable so quickly but the environment is friendly and spirited. It isn’t so hard getting out of bed earlier than 12pm if you truly enjoy your workplace.”
In House Tip Of The Month
“Surround yourself with people who will help you grow…”
A piece of advice shared by Kathryn Rattray, a Circle Academy Alumni, on our first liveSquaring The Circle session on mindset this month.
Have you heard?
Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce have been sharing the wonderful news that 7 fully funded places on The Circle Academy are now available. Read the full article here.
More Than Profit Of The Month
There’s nothing quite like a walk or cycle in sunny weather for working wonders on your mindset and mental wellbeing. Embark Dundee, the city’s first e-bike sharing scheme, and the largest of it’s kind in Scotland has just launched, making a cycle along the waterfront, or a greener option for getting to work or the shops, accessible to many more people (fingers crossed for a docking station at The Circle somewhere in the near future).
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