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Babbasa helps Triodos Bank co-workers develop intercultural communications skills
In May 2023, Bristol-based social enterprise Babbasa began a new partnership with Triodos Bank UK, also based in Bristol, to help the organisation deliver on its mission to create a thriving society that promotes quality of life for all. By providing co-workers with...
Babbasa hosts second OurCity203 Employers’ Forum
Thanks to the 70+ professionals and young people who participated in the second edition of #OurCity2030 Employers’ Forum last Thursday, kindly hosted at KPMG and supported by the West of England Good Employment Charter. A massive thanks to...
What Can Cities Do To Transform Social Mobility?
For many decades, social mobility and doing better in life than your parents was the dream. But that dream has faded. How did we lose the dream of social mobility and how can we get it back? Social mobility has stalled – and sometimes gone into reverse – especially...
Educators and youth organisations working together to create inclusive practices
We were honoured to bring together Shadene Keeling (Founder and CEO of The Free Talk Programme), Cameron Powell (Babbasa Trailblazer) and Teena Lashmore (Practitioner in the Criminal Justice Sector) to share inclusion insights and call for action to improve...
Exciting News From our CEO
Dear friends, there are some exciting changes happening here at Babbasa in line with our long term vision. Please see below for a brief Q&A about these changes. Poku Osei CEO and Founder | Babbasa What is happening? Poku Osei (Babbasa CEO and founder) will be...
Aim High Careers Fair
Babbasa Youth Ambassadors host first ‘Aim High Careers Fair’ to bring together city’s youth and professional communities On 27th September, Babbasa’s Youth Ambassadors are hosting the first ‘Aim High Careers Fair’, an interactive careers event for 16-30 year olds from...
Looking for creative businesses for the next OurCity2030 Pathway into Creative & Tech
The OurCity2030 Pathway into Creative & Tech, in partnership with the Bristol Creative Industries Internship Programme, is an innovative example of how creative businesses can come together to offer internships to the city's underrepresented young people. After a...
Tackling Tough Mudder for underrepresented young people
To celebrate 10 years of Babbasa, a group of our Bristol team took on the Tough Mudder South West on 12th August 2023. Mikhaila Simmons (Recruitment Lead), Millie Morfitt (Mentoring Lead), Poku Osei (CEO) and Qazzally Ali (Operations Coordinator) took part in this...
Babbasa partners with Triodos bank
Babbasa is proud to announce our new partnership with Triodos Bank UK to help them deliver their mission to create a thriving society that promotes quality of life for all. Babbasa was set up in response to the growing gap in the economic achievement of young...
Celebrating 10 years of Babbasa
This week Babbasa celebrates 10 years of transforming lives, whilst also looking forwards to the future. Over the next 10 years, our vision is to grow into an international outfit; branching out to other core cities in the UK, and in Africa, to transform even more...
Core 3 Peaks 24 hour challenge
To celebrate 10 years of Babbasa, we've partnered with Core3 on the ‘Core 3 Peaks 24hr’ challenge. On the 30th June, our CEO, Poku Osei, and Core3's founder Leo Hewett (and team) will be taking part in this monumental challenge to raise awareness of, and funding for,...
First cohort of young talent secure placements on creative industries internship programme
We are delighted to announce the 14 young people from across the city who have been selected as the first cohort for the creative industries internship programme set up by Babbasa and Bristol Creative Industries (BCI), in partnership with 14 creative businesses from...
OurCity2030 Employers’ Forum
Thursday 27th April saw the first of the new OurCity2030 Employers’ Forums, kindly hosted at Our Media’s fantastic auditorium, with 70+ professionals coming together to deliberate over the challenges and solutions with talks and breakout workshops looking at equity,...
OurCity2030 Youth Practitioners’ and Educators’ Forum
On Wednesday 19th April we held our first Youth Practitioners’ and Educators’ Forum hosted at City Academy. We welcomed over 35 attendees and had vibrant conversations around inclusion, collaboration, and delivering change for our young people. This marked the first...
Winner of Incubator Hub Competition revealed!
Istoria Group has today revealed the winner of its inaugural Micro Business Incubator Hub Competition - Self Agency, which was founded by Devon Lowndes with the aim of improving the lives of neurodivergent people in the Bristol area. The idea behind the competition,...
Competition to find and support local, female-owned ‘Micro Business’
Bristol-based creative business collective Istoria Group has launched a competition to find a regional, women-owned Micro Business to support as part of its Incubator Hub programme, whereby Istoria Group houses and helps guide fledgling businesses during their initial...
Thinking of becoming certified as a B Corp? Working with Babbasa could help!
Purpose-driven companies wishing to be a force for good can become certified as a B Corp, a highly-respected sustainability certification verified by non-profit network, B Lab. Being a B Corp means being part of a global community of businesses that meet high...
Working with Elvie as one of their chosen charities
There are different ways that organisations can partner with Babbasa. One of these is by choosing us as your Charity of the Year, which is exactly what women’s tech firm Elvie have done. Babbasa is very excited to be able to announce that we have been chosen as one of...
Impetus announces grants to new charity partners supporting young people from ethnic minority backgrounds into employment
Impetus today announces £600k in grants to Babbasa, Generation UK, IMO Charity and Sister System. In backing these charities, Impetus will be supporting four new impact-led organisations who support young people from both ethnic minority and socio-economically...
Bristol Creative Industries and Babbasa launch internship programme looking for city’s best and brightest creative talents
Membership network for the region's creative businesses, Bristol Creative Industries (BCI), has teamed up with Babbasa to launch a city-wide internship programme. The scheme will see many of the city’s most well-known creative businesses participate in offering...
Babbasa announces new Board Members to guide us through continued growth
Babbasa has today announced six new board members to help drive our vision and mission. The new board members have been carefully selected to assist us with specific facets of operating a social enterprise, with their expertise brought in to help develop the HR,...
EOA Mixer Event at Our Media
On Thursday 18th January, Babbasa held its Equal Opportunity Ambassador (EOA) Mixer. This was an opportunity to celebrate professionals who have supported young people through the various Babbasa programmes, including mentoring. The hosts Ishola Somuyiwa and Shelena...
Actions speak louder than words: Companies should be role-modelling inclusivity.
Reflections on winning the Diversity and inclusion award at the BristolLive Business Awards By Sangeetha Wynter, Babbasa Training & Inclusion Manager. It was such a privilege to win the Diversity and Inclusion award, which recognises organisations harnessing a...
City Of Change Partner: Torchbox
We are delighted to introduce Torchbox who has supported us through our City Of Change campaign. Why did you decide to join the City Of Change campaign?The City of Change campaign is an exciting opportunity for us to give back to the local community, at...
City Of Change Partner: Phil Hodgson – Arup
We are delighted to introduce Phil Hodgson from Arup who has supported us through our City Of Change campaign. Why did you decide to join the City Of Change campaign?Arup in Bristol decided to join the City of Change campaign to connect with local young people,...
City Of Change Partner: The Team – Enviral
We are delighted to introduce Enviral who have supported us through our City Of Change campaign. Why did you decide to join the City Of Change campaign? It’s a challenging time for young people trying to start out in marketing and communications,...
City Of Change Partner: Sue Mountstevens – Avon and Somerset Police Department
We are delighted to introduce Avon and Somerset Police who have supported us through our City Of Change campaign. Why did you decide to join the City Of Change campaign? It’s a good opportunity to bring fresh and young talent into the organisation. It allows...
City Of Change Partner: Cas Stow – Fourth Floor
We are delighted to introduce Fourth Floor who have supported us through our City Of Change campaign. Why did you decide to join the City Of Change campaign? We want to support positive change for Bristol and we want Fourth Floor to better represent the...
City Of Change Partner: Jenny Foster – Global Goals Centre
We are delighted to introduce Global Goals Centre who have supported us through our City Of Change campaign. Why did you decide to join the City Of Change campaign? We know what value having young, diverse voices involved in the creation of content for the...
City Of Change Partner: Hayley Schwab – Hargreaves Lansdown
We are delighted to introduce Hargreaves Lansdown who have supported us through our City Of Change campaign. Why did you decide to join the City Of Change campaign? At Hargreaves Lansdown, we believe in building a diverse and inclusive workforce not just...
City Of Change Partner: Caroline Clark – KETS Quantum
We are delighted to introduce KETS Quantum who have supported us through our City Of Change campaign. Why did you decide to join the City Of Change campaign? We joined the City Of Change campaign because it offers us a way of connecting with young people in Bristol...
City Of Change Partner: Elaine Williams – Icon Films
We are delighted to introduce Icon Films who have supported us through our City Of Change campaign. Why did you decide to join the City Of Change campaign? Icon Films has worked with Babbasa for many years and through them we have been introduced to many...
City Of Change Partner: Penny Warner – Team Love
We are delighted to introduce Team Love who have supported us through our City Of Change campaign. Why did you decide to join the City Of Change campaign? Team Love are inspired by bringing people together through festivals and events across Bristol and beyond. Our...
City Of Change Partner: Izzy Francke – Channel 4
We are delighted to introduce Channel 4 who have supported us through our City Of Change campaign. Why did you decide to join the City Of Change campaign? Babbasa is such an incredible and important organisation and at the forefront of engaging young people...
City Of Change Partner: Adam Cantwell-Corn – The Bristol Cable
We are delighted to introduce The Bristol Cable who have supported us through our City Of Change campaign. Why did you decide to join the City Of Change campaign? The Cable started from a front room in 2014. But we had a lot of support from...
City Of Change Partner: The Community Farm
We are delighted to introduce The Community Farm who have supported us through our City Of Change campaign. Why did you decide to join the City Of Change campaign? A core part of The Community Farm's ethos is to bring people onto our land. The events of this year have...
City Of Change Partner: Chelsea Dow – LettUsGrow
We are delighted to introduce Chelsea Dow, who has supported our City Of Change campaign through LettUsGrow. Why did you join the City Of Change campaign? We have hosted Babbasa placements before and really enjoyed it. Our team is always looking to share knowledge and...
City Of Change Partner: Fiona Spence – Sirona Care and Health
We are delighted to introduce Fiona Spence, who has supported our City Of Change campaign through Sirona Care and Health. Why did you join the City Of Change campaign? Sirona care & health are a not-for-profit social enterprise, providing NHS funded adult and...
City Of Change Partner: Evelyn Timson – Aspect Film and Video
We are delighted to introduce Evelyn Timson, who has supported our City Of Change campaign through Aspect Film and Video. Why did you join the City Of Change campaign? We decided to join City of Change because we identified some time ago that we have very few...
City Of Change Partner: George Cook – Avon Wildlife Trust
We are delighted to introduce George Cook, who has supported our City Of Change campaign through Avon Wildlife Trust. Why did you join the City Of Change campaign? The City Of Change campaign aims to do important things in Bristol and I wanted to get involved to help...
City Of Change Partner: Helena Berglund – True To Nature
We are delighted to introduce Helena Berglund, who has supported our City Of Change campaign through True To Nature. Why did you join the City Of Change campaign? We felt that joining ‘City of Change’ gave us an exciting opportunity to work with Babbasa on...
City Of Change Partner: Katie Dominy – Soil Association
We are delighted to introduce Katie Dominy, who has supported our City Of Change campaign through Soil Association. Why did you join the City Of Change campaign? We had an exciting short-term opportunity which we believe offers a creative, events and community driven...
City Of Change Partner: Felicity Aris – Arkbound Publishing
We are delighted to introduce Felicity Aris, who has supported our City Of Change campaign through Arkbound Publishing. Why did you join the City Of Change campaign? It is a great opportunity to support the local community and to collaborate with an important and...
City Of Change Partner: Stephanie Oxenham – ForrestBrown
We are delighted to introduce Stephanie Oxenham, who has supported our City Of Change campaign through ForrestBrown. Why did you join the City Of Change campaign? At ForrestBrown we believe in equal opportunities for everyone, and we are in a great position to help...
City Of Change Partner: Jessica Gitsham – Natracare
We are delighted to introduce Jessica Gitsham, who has supported our City Of Change campaign through Natracare. Why did you join the City Of Change campaign? It’s eye opening hearing about Babbasa’s work and it makes us realise how a small effort from our part...
City Of Change Partner: Nick Hounsfield – The Wave
We are delighted to introduce Nick Hounsfield, who has supported our City Of Change campaign through The Wave. Why did you decide to join the campaign? When we heard about the City Of Change: Youth Challenge, we knew we just had to get involved! It's great to see the...
OurCity2030 Launch Event
OurCity2030 On November 23rd 2022, Babbasa launched OurCity2030. This is an ambitious initiative which aims to support at least 2,000 young people from low income households within inner city Bristol to earn a median salary by 2030. The official launch brought...
OurCity2030
Bristol launches bold vision to close its equality gap. 10 October 2022: A bold new vision to close the equality gap in Bristol launches this November. OurCity2030 is a city-wide initiative designed to support young people from low income households in...
Aardman, Netflix and Babbasa Partnership
Babbasa are delighted to offer six bursary places on Aardman Academy's prestigious Stop Motion One Animation course, in partnership with Netflix. These bursary...
NeuroDiversity Awareness Week
Approximately one in eight people identify as neurodivergent, with many adults still being misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. It’s normal and wonderful that people have brains that function differently to one another. We believe that understanding this and adapting...
Babbasa Hub Days
Join Babbasa in person every Thursday meet our professional network, get career advice, have your CV and Cover Letter checked over and meet the Babbasa team! Are you interested in creating a more inclusive and diverse workplace but unsure how to achieve this? Then...
‘Bridging the Gap’ Taster Sessions
Enhance your inclusive work culture with our introductory Bridging the Gap Taster Session. About this event Are you interested in creating a more inclusive and diverse workplace but unsure how to achieve this? Then come along to our Taster Session. With the growing...
Opulence Growth and Babbasa Bright Ideas Enterprise Programme
Building on the success of a pilot in 2021, this joint programme will provide an effective strengths-based pathway for young entrepreneurs in Bristol. Our aim is to help young people through business support, mentoring, networking events, investing opportunities,...
Race Equality Week February 2022
It's race equality week here in the UK, an annual nation-wide movement uniting thousands of businesses, organisations and individuals to seriously address racial inequality in the UK. It is surprising how many don't realise that Bristol has been ranked as the 7th...
“We’ve Got Your Back” – Babbasa’s Flagship Networking Event Nov 2021
After the success of previous years, the Babbasa flagship youth-led event returns once again this Autumn. ‘We’ve Got Your Back’ will be a celebration of Bristol’s cultural diversity and act as a platform for aspiring young adults (16-25) from Bristol's inner-city...
Qazzally Ali: The Importance of Inclusion
Importance of Inclusivity in The Workplace As a young person in Bristol a particular interest of mine is looking into the accessibility of careers for people in under-represented communities. We all deserve equal access to opportunities. Yet, there are consistent...
Mo Ali: Dismantling barriers and bias in the workplace
Our awesome Youth Coordinator, Mo Ali, has been out in Bristol spreading the word about Babbasa's work. He's an incredibly inspiring person, one who is passionate and determined to help other young people from under-represented backgrounds achieve their career,...
WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK
Today Babbasa’s message is simple: We’ve got your back! Over the last 12 months we’ve been paying attention. We’ve listened to you. We’ve heard your outrage at systemic racism, your frustration at the education system, your disappointment at a failing job...
Tackling unequal access to green spaces
In Autumn 2019, our Youth Ambassadors created a manifesto in response to the launch of Bristol’s One City Plan. After consulting with over 100 young people from across Bristol, this manifesto was presented to Mayor Marvin Rees and the city council in an event...
The Support Programme and the importance of Learning Through Nature
in, The Support Programme is pioneering new support sessions aimed at getting young people out into nature: The Support Programme provides tailored support (both 1:1 and in group settings), built around the specific needs of the young people who are accessing...
Neurodiversity from My Perspective – The Importance of Inclusion and Accessibility for Neurodiverse People in the Workplace
Bethany Stephenson is an administrator, freelance social media marketer and blogger. She works part-time for Bristol Disability Equality Forum. Bethany not only took part in Babbasa's Autumn 2019 Challenge Programme, but she is also part of the 2021 Trailblazer...
Babbasa selected as GDS GROUP charity of the year
Global events, research and technology services company, GDS Group has crowned Babbasa as their charity of the year for 2021. Our Bristol, Our World Youth Conference 2019, Babbasa, Bristol City Hall Every year the GDS Group selects one charity to...
Babbasa’s ‘City of Change’ to be hosted online for the first time due to COVID pandemic
With unemployment among Bristol youth surpassing the national average, Babbasa’s Youth Ambassadors take their City of Change programme online in an effort to make the event more accessible during the pandemic. Babbasa's latest Challenge Programme project, ‘City...
“There are many times that I feel like Babbasa has gone above and beyond for me” – Trailblazer launches clothing brand
Tanaka’s dreams of owning his own business brought him to Babbasa in 2016. Since then, he has made the leap from Youth Ambassador to entrepreneur and Trailblazer. At a time where so many projects came to a sudden stop, 26-year-old Tanaka Chigwada started his own...
A passionate advocate for diversity in the Architecture profession – EOA Tony Berongoy
Tony Berongoy - Senior Architect at Wilmore Iles Architect Tony is a senior architect with 15 years experience in a wide range of sectors including private homes, social housing, cultural and civic buildings, offices, and leisure. He’s a great believer of...
“I wanted to encourage young people to realise their potential” – mentoring with Hugo
Hugo works in Bristol's TV industry and is one of our most dedicated mentors. He has been using his years of expertise to help our so many of our young people to achieve their career goals. This is his story: What was your journey into the TV industry? After...
“Working with young people has really opened me up to new perspectives” – mentoring with Aleena Khan
My name is Aleena and I'm a Pharmacist at Southmead Hospital. I completed 4 years in University to achieve a Masters of Pharmacy degree and then a compulsory pre-registration year. There were many times when I didn’t get my preferred choices within this...
Award winning musician creates star studded single to raise money for organisations supporting young Black people.
We spoke to Rachel Mason, an Ambassador here at Babbasa, about her new single, Black Lives Matter, and the importance of supporting young Black people. Written by Rachel Mason, 24th November, 2020. I’m a multi award winning musician, vocal teacher,...
Babbasa launches The #BridgeToEquality Report
Most young people in Bristol feel increasingly fearful about their future despite having high aspirations and the motivation to succeed, new research reveals. The Bridge To Equality report, published by the youth empowerment social enterprise Babbasa highlights...
City Of Change Partner: Amy Twomey – Off the Fence
We are delighted to introduce Amy Twomey, who has supported our City Of Change campaign through Off the Fence. Can you tell us who you are, a little bit about you, and your professional background? I'm Amy, the Production Manager at Off the Fence. I work in a team at...
Partner of the Week: LettUs Grow
We are delighted to introduce Chelsea Dow, Dan Peel and Jack Farmer, who have supported our work through LettUs Grow. Can you tell us who you are, a little bit about you, and your professional background? I’m Chelsea, the People and Culture Manager at LettUs Grow. I...
Trailblazers – Cameron’s Story
My name is Cameron Luke Powell. I heard about Babbasa through my mother back when it had first started out and I was not long out of school. I remember attending their Empowered Event, the first Ask About Me event and Change 300 Futures. It helped me greatly...
Trailblazers – Beth’s Story
My name’s Bethany, I’m 25 and I’m a diverse social media marketer and digital copywriter. I found out about Babbasa by going to an Ask About Me event in April 2019 and then signed up to be a Youth Ambassador in the Challenge Programme Autumn 2019 cohort. I...
Trailblazers – Maheen’s Story
I am Maheen Shah and I am 19 years old. I heard about Babbasa through Michelle and Pravanya. During my time with Babbasa, we managed to get over 100 young people into some sort of work experience/ placement. I learnt that it is okay to be different and its...
Trailblazers – Osei’s Story
My names Osei Johnson and I’ve just turned 25. My main hobbies are dancing and gaming. When I’m not working, I spend most of my time on my PC that I built. Outside of that I also read and watch a lot of political content. My favorite thing about Bristol is the...
Trailblazers – Nehanda’s Story
My name is Nehanda Ngozi and I'm 17 years old. Some of my hobbies include cooking, baking and writing. My mum told me about Babbasa because I was struggling to find work and I needed direction on what to to do meet some of my goals. From the first day I joined...
Trailblazers – Tanaka’s Story
My name is Tanaka and I’m 26. Some of my interests include fashion, film, music and football. I first heard of Babbasa through a friend, I was seeking out a mentor at the time as I felt that I was lacking in the necessary mentorship to help me find great...
Trailblazers – Rasheed’s Story
I heard about Babbasa through my aunt. I filled out an application and spoke to Pravanya extensively after this. She told me that Babbasa is somewhere that is very aligned to things I am looking for, and it is. Since joining I have attended many development...
Trailblazers – Leila’s Story
My name is Leila Kikuchi-House and I’m 20 years old. My favourite hobby is yoga for its physical, emotional and spiritual benefits; particularly because it re-centers my body and grounds my mind in the present moment. I’m also teaching myself Japanese because...
Trailblazers – Gloria’s Story
i My name is Gloria T Gomo and I am 26 years old and I enjoy travelling, cooking, interior design. When I think about the things I enjoy about Bristol, I think of activities that unity the city, like free leisure centres that provide a safe space for young...
Codie’s Story
I'm Codie! I'm 24 and I’m originally from a tiny village in the east-midlands where I grew up believing that small towns were made to bore people. I moved to Bristol to pursue a creative future in all its facets. In the 5 years that I have lived here, I have...
Jenny’s Story
We believe Bristol’s most marginalised deserve access to support at their own pace; have their voices heard; and have access to real work opportunities. Do you believe that too? Then get in touch!
Sam’s Story
My name’s Sam I’m 24 and I’m from Bristol. Currently, I’m working at Trinity Community Arts, a music venue and community space in Old Market. At Trinity, I work as a Marketing Assistant, which allows me to bring a lot of creative skills in to a professional...
Abiola’s Story
My name is Abiola and I am 18 years old and I am from England (I’m half Nigerian). I’m interested in a lot of things such as film (consuming it, making it, talking about it), I like to read as this is where I get any inspiration from. I enjoy playing...
Bobby’s Story
My name's Bobby Hopkins and I'm 20. I currently work part time as a Waiter at a pub called The Farmers Arms, also part-time I teach kickboxing as a Senior martial arts instructor to ages through 4-6 year old’s all the way through to adults and ladies classes....
Tamelia’s Story
My name's Tamelia Smith and I'm 18 years old. Some of my favourite things to do include listening to music and watching movies. I currently work a part time retail job after leaving college in the first half of the year, but my real interests lie in media and...
Will’s Story
My name is Will and I am 23. My aspirations and goals are to hopefully find a creative career path. I am willing to try many different industries and forms of work until I really decide, in the meantime I just want to get as much experience as possible and meet as...
Hannah’s Story
My name's Hannah Smith and I'm 21. I spend all my spare time watching Netflix and looking for new series to watch! I also enjoy spending time with my friends on the weekends and going out for drinks. My aspirations for the future are driven by my career, I want to...
AZ’s Support Story
When AZ* was referred to Babbasa’s Support Programme, they reported significant experiences of social anxiety. His guardians knew he...
Rasheed’s Mentoring Story
Me, my journey with Babassa and where I am today. My name is Rasheed, and I am 23 years old. I love watching television with a good romance plot – I feel like life can sometimes be unpredictable and difficult, so I enjoy the predictability and the warmth of a...
Esther’s Mentoring Story
My name is Esther and I’m 23 years old. Other than binge watching films, I’ve recently started cooking a lot more and trying new recipes. It’s become therapeutic, I also enjoy swimming.My end goal is to become a successful and established film producer. But...
Imani’s Story
My name is Imani Grant and I'm 19 years old. My friends would describe me as bubbly, fun-loving, gregarious, caring, considerate and meticulous. I enjoy going to museums/art galleries, taking part in creative workshops and picnicking with friends. I'm really...
Mugi’s Story
My name is Collines Mugisha and people who know me would say I'm relaxed, friendly, approachable, confident, intelligent, Creative innovative, hard working, kind generous, a good observer, and business minded. I love seeing the creativeness around the city and...
Hanad’s Story
My name is Hanad Mohamed. I’m 17 years old. My friends would describe me as cheerful and confident. I enjoy basketball and am heavily invested in History. I love the m1 bus ride, it’s hardly talked about but it’s underrated, the views are spectacular. I...
Becca’s Story
My name is Rebecca Hurford and I am 21. My hobbies are photography and filmmaking. One of the barriers I have faced growing up is with mental health. I have had an ongoing battle with anxiety, leading me to not always be able to partake in opportunities that I wish...
Dami’s Story
My name is Oluwadamilola Okeyoyin and I'm 25 years old. My friends would describe me as fun, loyal and talented. I enjoy reading, traveling and cooking. I've always wished there were more for BAME students like me and I wish there was no bias in getting jobs...
Anna’s Story
My name is Anna Richardson and I’m 22 years old. I haven’t been up to too much during lockdown but I usually enjoy live music and art, volunteering and some part time work online. One of my most significant barriers growing up was being a mixed-race person in a...
Millie’s Story
My name is Millie Shoebridge and I'm 24 years old. My hobbies are radio presenting and production, I volunteer for a few different radio stations and I used to host a podcast, basically I love chatting. I read a lot of books and magazines, a mixture of political...
Suad’s Story
My name is Suad. I'm 17 years old. My Friends describe me as approachable, well-organized, and dependable. My key interests would be community involvement and reading. The diverse culture, as well as the variety of places to visit, are two of my favourite aspects of...
Danielle’s Story
My name is Danielle and I'm 23 years old. I love to play the guitar, bake, cook and learn languages. I really enjoy chilling in green spaces in Bristol, visiting different music venues and going to the climbing gym. I faced a lot of bullying in school and even...
Nameya’s Story
My name is Nameya Jacobs, a 22-year-old unemployed Creative Brand Communications graduate. My friends would describe me as outgoing, enthusiastic, funny, opinionated, smart, kind, caring and conscious, (yes, I actually asked them and this is what they said, I’m...
Ruth’s Mentoring Story
Having recently secured a job in the pharmaceutical industry, Ruth reflects on the impact of Babbasa's mentoring scheme in helping her achieve her goals. My name is Ruth Gbao and I’m 17 years old. At the moment I’m in my last year of sixth form...
Lashawn’s Mentoring Story
Having recently secured a job as a Production Management Assistant at the BBC, Lashawn reflects on the impact of Babbasa's mentoring scheme in helping her achieve her goals. My name is Lashawn and I am 20 years old. I first heard of Babbasa through a...
Keenan’s Story
My name’s Keenan Lawrence and I’m 23. For me, I’ve always had an expectation for myself that has been holding me accountable. Sometimes I put pressure on myself to get things moving as quickly as possible. But creating foundations for myself has been...
Grace’s Story
Grace discusses her experiences as a young creative working with PAPER Arts, and the influence of Babbasa's mentors My name's Grace Sodzi and I'm 23. I was a part of their first Mentoring Club, and I found their support so helpful in pursuing my creative passions. At...
Kaden’s Story
My name’s Kaden Gardener and at the moment I am creating my video content while looking for paid work and opportunities within the media industry, specifically within video editing. In my spare time I like to listen to and create music, play video games and hanging...
Leila’s Story
Leila reflects on her time as a Youth Ambassador working on the City of Change Campaign: While doing the campaign I noticed how it kept my head above water and helped me reflect on my own life so much because I was thinking about other people. It offered me a...
Ella’s Story
Ella discusses her time as a Youth Ambassador and the impact of City of Change: I find that often when communicating with large organisations and businesses, young people are invited to the table to offer "a younger perspective" (often for free), but the...
Sarah’s Story
Reflecting on my Experiences as a Youth Ambassador During COVID-19 Written by: Sarah Anisah Nabi When I initially signed up as a Youth Ambassador with Babbasa, I had no idea what to expect. I knew the project that we’d be working on was to create workplace...
Rasheed’s Story
My name is Rasheed I am 23. My friends would describe me as funny, a typical Scorpio and loving. I enjoy creative writing, song writing, story writing and I like to play the piano. I am passionate about the arts and advocacy work. I enjoy walking, going to the...
Esther’s Story
My name is Esther and I'm 23 years old. I’m currently working. My hobbies are binge watching Netflix series and going to the cinema and my goal is become a successful film producer. The last challenge I had to overcome was pitching an idea to a group of...
Lashawn’s Story
My name is Lashawn Binns, I am 20 years old and at the moment I am looking to gain more experience in the TV/Film industry as well as job that will further my career in this industry. Some of my hobbies include reading, I have always loved a good fantasy book,...
Babbasa is presented the prestigious queen’s award for enterprise for transforming the lives of young people from ethnic minority & low-income backgrounds by HRH, The Countess of Wessex.
Bristol’s youth empowerment social enterprise, Babbasa was presented with the UK’s highest business accolade for Promoting Opportunity through social mobility by HRH Countess of Wessex, as its Youth Ambassadors launch an urgent campaign, City Of Change, challenging...
Focus Groups allow everyone to assess and reflect on our major industries
Written by Olu Osinoiki: 23rd November, 2020 Currently I work as a freelance Photographer, Videographer & Creative Director at Olumedia but I aspire to run my own TV company one day. I decided to take part in Babbasa’s Natural History focus group as I’m...
What we can all collectively do to produce change for the future
Written by Gail El-Halaby: 14th October, 2020 When I first learned about Babbasa, I fell in love with the ethos, and what Babbasa were striving to achieve. To have the opportunity to work within a team so passionate, involved and motivated in bringing about positive...
Hamza’s story
"My name is Hamza. I was born and raised in Bristol. I am the oldest of 3 siblings from a Pakistani background. I am seen as hard-working, resilient and organised by the people I work with. At the start of Year 5 I was underperforming in Mathematics until my teacher,...
City Of Change Partner: Emily Lascelles – Silverback Films
We are delighted to introduce Emily Lascelles, who has supported our City Of Change campaign through Silverback Films. Why did you decide to the join the campaign? We were very aware that, in Covid times, so many young peoples work experiences had been cancelled. We...
Theresa’s story
"I'm Theresa and I’ve grown up in the UK, my parents are from Ghana and I go there occasionally to see family, which I love. I would say I’m fairly confident and very friendly, but I’m sure my friends would most definitely describe me as dramatic because I love...
Partner of the Week: Dawn Kirkland – Sun Life Financial
We are delighted to introduce Dawn Kirkland, who has supported our work through Sun Life Financial. Can you tell us who you are, a little bit about you, and your professional background? I am Dawn Kirkland, HR Business Partner for Sun Life Financial in the UK. I...
Babbasa’s Youth Ambassadors launch their new campaign: City Of Change
The newly recruited Babbasa Youth Ambassadors have launched a new campaign this October, City Of Change: Youth Challenge, in response to Babbasa’s #BridgeToEquality report. This month, the team of nine young leaders are asking 30 businesses to create a career...
Partner of the Week: Lucy McKerron – McCann Synergy
We are delighted to introduce this week's Partner of the Week, Lucy McKerron, who has supported our work through McCann Synergy. Tell us a bit about yourself. Who are you, where are you from and what’s your job title and role? I’m a Bristol girl, born and bred, so...
Trailblazer – Max: My Story
"I’ve lived in Bristol for as long as I can remember. I was born in Hackney, but moved here as a baby. All of my pride is in Bristol. My primary passion is music. I’ve been drumming since year 7. At school they had one small room with a drum kit, an amp and a window....
Babbasa – Our Impact
Written by Poku Osei: 30th September, 2020 It is a privilege to work with some of the most determined and values-driven individuals at Babbasa to support aspiring young people and communities in Bristol over the last few years. I am therefore proud to introduce a...
Trailblazer – Yesmain: My Story
“I'm Yesmain and I would say those close to me would say I’m assertive, passionate, and honest. Spending time in isolation either listening to music, podcasts or language-orientated audio books is therapeutic and the best way to spend any free time I have. Growing...
Partner of the Week: Sandy Hore-Ruthven – Creative Youth Network
We are delighted to publish a new Partner of the Week blog, which shines a spotlight on the great organisations that support our mission at Babbasa. The Partner of the Week blogs talk to the individuals behind organisations, and goes into depth on their values, their...
DEADLINE – 15TH FEBRUARY
Public Health Insight Day/Focus Group Are you interested in finding out more about what public health is or what a career in publichealth could look like? Are you interested in being involved in shaping public health? Would youlike the opportunity to connect...
DEADLINE – 15TH FEBRUARY
Insight Day with Our Media Our Media is a special-interest content business based in the heart of Bristol partnering with Babbasa to offer an Insight Day. This is an opportunity for young people who would like to learn more about a career in the...
DEADLINE – 15TH JANUARY
Full-time, Permanent Facilities Assistant About Bristol Beacon Run by Bristol Music Trust, and known as Bristol Beacon, we were established in 2011 to run the South West’s largest concert hall and promote musical excellence, creative learning and...
Chief Executive Officer
Full-time, Permanent £60-65k + benefits, Hybrid role Babbasa Youth Empowerment Projects CIC is an award-winning social enterprise that empowers young people from ethnically diverse and less advantaged communities to move into work,...
Rolling deadline (runs throughout the year)
One Week Work Experience Creating opportunities for people and giving a voice to marginalised communities is a key part of what Bristol24/7 does. Bristol 24/7 are offering 40 placements throughout the year exclusively to young people interested in a career in...
Babbasa is Hiring!!! – Communications & Executive Support Lead
Are you passionate about sharing positive stories through online and social media? Are you a value-driven person with a good eye for detail? We're hiring a new Communications & Executive Support Lead to run our communications channels and support our CEO. Start...
Babbasa TV
Want to share your views on the big issues that affect you, your friends, and your family? Want to give other young people a platform to be heard by the community and decision-makers in Bristol? Look no further than Babbasa TV! Babbasa TV is all about giving you the...
Partner of the Week: Chris Turner – Bright Blue Kite
Lockdown has been a very challenging time for young people who are looking to start their dream careers; especially those from underrepresented backgrounds. Opportunities to train, network, and find new jobs play a crucial role in preventing inequality gaps from...
Ethnic Minority Professionals Share Their Stories and Advice
#HearOurStories is about looking at the journeys of people from underrepresented backgrounds, their challenge, and their successes. This video looks at the lives of 6 influential professionals from ethnic minority backgrounds and explores how they got to where they...
How to Stay Productive (from Bristol’s Professionals)
Unsure of how to stay productive and focused on your goals? Bristol-based professionals share their tips on how you can keep moving towards achieving your dreams. This video was arranged by Babbasa's Youth Ambassadors and recorded as part of the youth-led Skill Swap...
Bristol Mayor, Marvin Rees Shares his Story and Opportunities for Young People #BeyondCOVID
Marvin Rees shares his inspirational story and discusses the opportunities available for young people, now and beyond COVID-19. Click on the video below to watch the full interview! This interview was held by Babbasa's Youth Ambassadors and recorded as part of the...
Partner of the Week: Chris Thurling – Armadillo/Bristol Media
We are delighted to introduce this new Partner of the Week blog, which shines a spotlight on the great organisations that support our mission at Babbasa. The bi-weekly blog talks to the individuals behind these organisations, and goes into depth on their values, their...
Trailblazer – Beth: How I’m Pursuing My Dream Career During Lockdown
I’m Beth, a 24-year-old, autistic communicator and content creator living in Bristol. I moved here two years ago from South East London and came to Babbasa last summer to develop my confidence and start my career. I wanted to get into marketing and social...
How do we build a more just, equitable, and inclusive society from here? – Poku Osei
by Poku Osei: 9th June, 2020 As a father, person of colour and a leader of an organisation that works with many young people of colour, it has not been a surprise to see the deep outrage across the globe in recent weeks. The impact of seeing someone who looks like you...
Ishola Offered £10,000 Bursary at TechTalent Academy through BeyondCOVID Appeal
Friday, June 5th 2020 Ishola has been offered a £10,000 coding bursary, as part of Babbasa's #BeyondCOVID appeal. Babbasa's urgent appeal is supporting young people from underrepresented backgrounds to continue to pursue their dream careers throughout and beyond...
Our Response to Recent Racist Incidents
Wednesday, June 3rd 2020 The events of this week have been another painful reminder of the stark challenges that people of colour continue to face. The tragic death of George Floyd under the knee of a police officer in Minnesota, USA was cruel, inhumane, and has no...
Trailblazer – Nehanda: My Story
"I was born in Bristol and the I'm the youngest of 3 children, with two brothers. Being the only girl can be annoying at times but I guess I've learnt to deal with it. Most people would describe me as being quite weird and dramatic, but others would say I'm quite...
Trailblazer – Yasmin: My Story
I am Yasmin Mohammed, a 24-year-old currently living in Bristol. I was born and raised here and studied right through to college-level education. I am the youngest of 5 brothers and I am the only girl. It was at a young stage in my life when I knew I wanted to work in...
Beyond COVID – Pursuing an Inclusive Recovery
by Poku Osei, 18/05/20 As we begin to rebuild our lives, it is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic will reshape the nation’s economy, industries, and our society in a fundamental way. The disease has had an impact on all lives - black, white, rich and poor. But it has...
Trailblazer: Osob – My First Media Role
“I don’t like to say it’s a challenge, and I tend to see it as more of a blessing but I come from a big family of 12 siblings and with a condition that has required multiple surgeries. Babbasa arranged work experience for me with the editor of Bristol 24/7....
Trailblazer: Cameron – My Story
“When I was growing up, my home life was full of abuse and I was continually faced with fear, pain, and hostility. I faced a lot of violence and racial abuse at school as well, and before long, I was kicked out, and later arrested for possessing a knife. I had reached...
Youth Ambassador: Yasmin – The Importance of Key Workers
Key workers are a lifeline to our country during coronavirus A key worker is someone in the public sector who provides care to others or performs another vital function to provide support or services to others (such as working in supermarkets or transport). As a...
Youth Ambassador: Rosie – Out of Crisis Comes Creativity
"Things are weird right now, aren’t they? The sun is shining, but no one is out. Everyone is in quarantine, self-isolating, or simply shut up in their houses awaiting news of where we can and can’t go. So, in these unusual times where we can’t enjoy a trip to the pub...
Babbasa’s First-Ever Online Festival, Skill Swap is launched!
Babbasa has launched its first-ever online festival for young people! Skill Swap is an opportunity for young people to share their experiences in lockdown, take part in daily challenges, share their skills and knowledge, and attend great workshops from professionals....
Babbasa Wins Queen’s Award for ‘Transforming’ Young Lives in inner-city Bristol
Babbasa marks its ‘Queen’s Award for Enterprise’ by launching an urgent appeal to support local young people affected by the Coronavirus pandemic Youth Empowerment organisation, Babbasa has won a Queen's Award for Enterprise - the highest official award for a UK...
Youth Ambassador: Rosie – My Experience So Far
"My experience so far as a Youth Ambassador (YA) has been nothing but positive. I found out about the Challenge programme as part of the ‘Our Bristol, Our World’ conference, ran by Babbasa’s previous YA’s in mid-October. The aim of the conference was to give young...
Navigating These Challenging Times
To Our Community, Young people, colleagues, and Bristol as a community are at the heart of what we do. Therefore as a result of the COVID-19 situation and following the recommendations of WHO and UK Government, we are taking a number of actions to continue our work...
Trailblazer: Stephen – The City Leadership Programme
Babbasa Trailblazer, Stephen talks through his experience of being a part of the City Leadership programme. The programme supports highly aspirational young people from less advantaged backgrounds by giving them the tools they need to become leaders of the future....
Trailblazer: Livi – My Placement with Plimsoll Productions
Media, broadcasting and documentaries had always been of some interest to me, but I wasn't completely sure what I could do to turn that interest into a career. Through the Babbasa Placement Programme, I was able to secure a work experience opportunity at Plimsoll...
Trailblazer: Amy – The City Leadership Programme
Babbasa Trailblazer, Amy talks through her experience of being a part of the City Leadership programme. The programme supports highly aspirational young people from less advantaged backgrounds by giving them the tools they need to become leaders of the future. It's an...
Trailblazer: Sumayo – My First Steps in Enterprise
“I joined the Babbasa Level 2 Enterprise course as a secondary school leaver, with a clear idea that I wanted to pursue my own business either in fashion or with food, but lacked the skills needed to do it. Babbasa was there to support me as a learner. During the...
COVID-19: How we’re staying safe while supporting the community
UPDATE: FOLLOWING THE GOVERNMENTS LATEST MEASURES TO TACKLE COVID-19, WE HAVE INTRODUCED ADDITIONAL MEASURES TO ENSURE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR COMMUNITY. PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION After listening to the government's latest advice on COVID-19...
Trailblazer: Aabbi – The Value of a Mentor
"I went to a school where I felt a lack of encouragement for ethnic minorities to study academically and creatively challenging subjects. Despite feeling discouraged, with the support of Babbasa I got a professional mentor who supported me to complete my A-levels and...
Trailblazer: Haji – My Story
Haji has been on an incredible journey so far. After migrating to Bristol from Nigeria, he spent his childhood living in a single-parent, low-income household with his siblings, aspiring to become a successful professional. Haji came to one of Babbasa's first-ever Ask...
Trailblazer: Daniella – My Story
' I was born in London, and I spent most of my early life moving in and out of Britain from England to Barbados. I was in the middle of a custody battle between my parents, and all the moves meant that I didn’t have a normal, average upbringing. Without going...
Trailblazer: Zainab – My Story
I My name’s Zainab, I am currently a Babbasa Trailblazer and have been with Babbasa for a number of years. I was originally born in London born into a first-generation Pakistani family but have lived in Bristol for the majority of my life and would say I love...
Trailblazer: Hersi – My Story
I moved from London to Bristol in 2004 and I’ve lived here ever since. I know Bristol like the back of my hand. My family are originally from Somaliland, and Bristol has a thriving Somali community which is a lot closer than that of London because of how big London...
The Business Case for Workplace Diversity: 7 Key Benefits
7 Key Benefits of Workplace Diversity By Krish Pattni - 30/01/2020 Workplace diversity is often discussed as an intrinsic good; a position most would agree with. There is, however, a compelling case to make that it is in the interest of businesses to build inclusive...
Trailblazer: Qazzally – My Story
I’m from Bristol, but I was born in London but grew up in Bristol. Both my parents came to England as refugees of the Somali civil war. I am 1 of 6 children in the family I keep it simple with my hobbies. I love watching sports like basketball and playing them as...
Trailblazer: Okori – My Story
I was born in Bristol and most of my family is from here too. My grandparents came here during Windrush. As far as I know, my family lived in St Pauls up until I was born, Then we moved to fishponds. We were the only black family in the area. Fishponds was cool, to be...
Okori Lewis-McCalla Wins 2020 Ben Martin Apprentice Award
Multi-talented creative and tech designer, Okori Lewis-McCalla is the winner of the 2020 Ben Martin Apprentice Award. Babbasa, in partnership with Bristol Media and ADLIB Recruitment, presents the award with the aim of improving equal access to opportunity in the...
Our Bristol. Our World. Our Manifesto.
In the work that we do with young people, we want to make sure that our organisation leaves a lasting legacy on Bristol. Young people are too often experiencing unequal treatment because of their backgrounds. The voices of those young people need to be heard and...
Trailblazer: Olumide – My Story
Hi, I’m Olumide. I grew up in Berkshire, but I also lived in Nigeria for 3 years from 13 to 16. I came back to England for 6th form and finally came to Bristol to go to university. My friends would describe me as being joyful, creative, and sociable. I’m going into my...
Trailblazer: Tyreke – My Story
Hi, I’m Tyreke. I’m originally from Bristol. My family and friends would say I’m funny, wise when it comes to serious topics, confident, and dependable. I’ve finished college, and I’m currently taking a gap year. I’m using this time to experiment by doing different...
This is What Bristol’s Young People Have to Say About Climate Change
It is vital that young peoples' voices are heard in the climate change discussion, but all too often, they get ignored. For this reason, we launched our 'Have Your Say' event - the perfect platform for Bristol's young people to share their thoughts and their ideas....
Why ‘Our Bristol, Our World’ is Important to Me – Ebun
Young people at Babbasa are working with the Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees and the City Office to produce a brand new youth conference, called 'Our Bristol, Our World.' The conference is centred on giving young people a platform to influence Bristol's One City Plan. –...
Why ‘Our Bristol, Our World’ is Important to Me – Bethany
Young people at Babbasa are working with the Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees and the City Office to produce a brand new youth conference, called ‘Our Bristol, Our World.’ The conference is centred on giving young people a platform to influence Bristol’s One City Plan. –...
Trailblazer: Jeril – My Story
Hi, I’m Jeril, and I’m a social media and marketing manager from Bristol. At the moment, I’m studying Business Management at UWE. I was born in South India, and spent a couple of my early years in Oman. I came to the UK when I was 4, and lived here for about 9 years....
Why ‘Our Bristol, Our World’ is Important to Me – Rema
Young people at Babbasa are working with the Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees and the City Office to produce a brand new youth conference, called 'Our Bristol, Our World.' The conference is centred on giving young people a platform to influence Bristol's One City...
‘Our Bristol, Our World’ Youth Conference Announced
We are delighted to announce that we are working with the Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees and the City Office to deliver an innovative youth conference. 'Our Bristol, Our World' will give young people from all backgrounds the chance to tell city leaders about the issues...
Trailblazer: Beatriz – My Story
I moved to Bristol from Brazil when I was 6 years old with my parents and older sister. Since then we have had 2 additions to our family, my little brother and our pet hamster. I would describe myself as impulsive, warm and understanding, although my friends and...
Trailblazer: Hari – My Story
Hari Ramakrishnan (also known as Pariah Khan) is currently touring his one-man-show, An Indian Abroad, which he stars in, writes and produces. Having lived in multiple countries, the show plays on Hari’s experiences of moving to Britain as an Indian, and India as a...
Trailblazer: Farnaz – My Story
Farnaz became a Babbasa Youth Ambassador in 2019 and had big ambitions to transition from admin work to a career in TV. Three months later, she found herself working for an award-winning production company, Icon Films - something which she said has changed her life....
#HearOurStories – Bakoto’s Placement with Kinneir Dufort
Having joined Babbasa earlier this year, sixteen-year-old Bakoto Jobe was offered the chance to do a week-long work placement with world-class innovation and product development consultancy, Kinneir Dufort. Sorrell Walsh from Kinneir Dufort recently caught up with...
Trailblazer: Mo – My Story
I migrated to Bristol at the age of 5 to escape civil war and the harsh environment of a broken country. Irrespective of this, I focus on that which I’m in control of and give no time to the things that limit me. I have always been driven towards business and consider...
Trailblazer: Jasmine – My Story
Hi, I’m Jasmine Thompson. I’m a creative, so creating art ALL the time. I’m quite chilled out, and very focused on what I want to do. I'm now twenty-four and based in Bristol as an illustrator and designer. Growing up, I lived in a really small city that didn’t have a...
Trailblazer: Ismail – My Story
I grew up always moving. I was born in Italy, then later moved to England at the age of 11. Because of my diverse upbringing, I am able to speak multiple languages. I speak English, Arabic and Italian. My life in Italy if compared to my life in England is...
Trailblazer: Whiz – My Story
Both my parents are from Nigeria. My village in Nigeria gave me my name, Fumen. That means 'wisdom', which is where Whiz comes from. I went there for the first time at age 6 and learned the language that I use now called Hausa. Being born in London and going to...
Trailblazer: Haneen – My Story
Hi, I’m Haneen, I’m 16. I have 3 siblings. My friends would describe me as funny, a good listener and that I give great advice! My parents would say that I’m loud, a bit naughty, but nice as well. I like playing sports, especially football. And I really like baking. I...
Trailblazer: Marissa – My Story
Hi, I’m Marissa and I’m a Graphic Designer from Bristol. I think that my friends and family would describe me as outgoing, motivated, and creative. I’ve spent the last 3 years in Birmingham studying Graphic Communication at Birmingham City University. I loved being a...
Trailblazer: Kelly – My Story
Hi, I’m Kelly, originally from London. My friends and family see me as funny and caring, although a little bit argumentative. I came to Bristol to study Law, but I’m looking for a career in TV - behind the camera, definitely behind, ideally a scriptwriter or producer....
Babbasa Recruiting Youth Ambassadors for 2019/2020
Babbasa is looking for young people to become its Youth Ambassadors for 2019/2020! The Youth Ambassadors are a team of ambitious, hard-working and resilient young people (aged 16-25) working together — with training from Babbasa — to help gain invaluable work...
‘Fantastic’ Youth Empowerment Organisation Awarded National Lottery Funding
Bristol-based youth empowerment organisation, Babbasa has been awarded funding by the National Lottery to continue the 'vital work' that they do in inner-city Bristol. The funding has been allocated for one of their three core support programmes - the Challenge...
Babbasa Recruiting! Deadline 10th July 2019.
What is Babbasa?Babbasa is an award-winning social enterprise that believes that every young person, irrespective of background, has a talent that when given the opportunity to explore and nurture, adds value to society. We, therefore, provide services including soft...
Babbasa Meets the Mayor of the West of England
Babbasa visited the Mayor of the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), Tim Bowles. The lunch and discussion on Monday, June 17 was an opportunity for our young people to understand the Mayor's role in the region and his career journey, for those that were...
Realising the ‘Babbasa Hub’ in inner-city Bristol
We’re moving! After some wonderful years at Redbrick House, and having supported hundreds of young people, we are moving to a brand new community hub.We are delighted to announce that we have been successful in securing a lease in St Paul’s (Bristol) and initial seed...
Babbasa & Bristol24/7 present ‘Ask About Me’ 2019: 24th April 5.30pm
Babbasa's flagship event - Ask About Me - returns once again, this time in collaboration with Bristol24/7! After the success of previous years, this intergenerational networking event will act as a platform for up to 100 young people from inner city Bristol to...
Babbasa Recruiting! Deadline 4th and 10th March 2019.
WHAT IS BABBASA?Babbasa is an award-winning social enterprise that believes that every young person, irrespective of background, has a talent that when given the opportunity to explore and nurture, adds value to society. We, therefore, provide services including soft...
Trailblazer: Myles – My Story
"My name is Myles, and I’m 26 years old now. In school I wasn’t interested in any of the subjects so left with no GCSEs which made it difficult to find a job. I didn’t know what I wanted to do after I left school, but one day I just bought a camera and started...
Trailblazer: Faduma – My Story
"I came here when I was six, from Somalia. I’m the oldest of eight siblings. I’m seen as honest, motivated and bold, although my little siblings think I’m bossy! When I moved here I didn’t know the language. I learnt everything from watching TV, it’s why I love it, it...
Delphi
Poku Pipim Osei (BA, PGCert, MSc) is a respected social entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of award-winning youth empowerment organisation, Babbasa. Poku relocated to Bristol from Ghana in 2008. Until that point, his professional experiences had been in the private...
Staff: Poku Osei – Babbasa CEO
Poku Pipim Osei (BA, PGCert, MSc) is a respected social entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of award-winning youth empowerment organisation, Babbasa. Poku relocated to Bristol from Ghana in 2008. Until that point, his professional experiences had been in the private...
Staff: Louise – Assistant Services Manager
Hello, my name is Louise (pronouns she/her). I am the Assistant Services Manager where my role is to support the leadership of the Services Team whilst managing a variety of commissioned projects and contributing to growing our organisational impact. Before...
Staff: Louise
I’m Urfan and I have been involved with Babbasa since 2011 (then known as BYEP) when I signed up to be a mentor. The work they did really resonated with me because of my own life experience. My parents were first-generation immigrants and weren’t in a position to talk...
Staff: Louise Goux-Wirth – Assistant Services Manager
Hello, my name is Louise (pronouns she/her). I am the Assistant Services Manager where my role is to support the leadership of the Services Team whilst managing a variety of commissioned projects and contributing to growing our organisational impact. Before Babbassa...
Staff: Urfan Ali – Advisor and Senior Business and Partnerships Associate
I’m Urfan and I have been involved with Babbasa since 2011 (then known as BYEP) when I signed up to be a mentor. The work they did really resonated with me because of my own life experience. My parents were first-generation immigrants and weren’t in a position to talk...
Staff: Stara Hendricks – Babbasa TV Assistant
, My name is Stara, I host for Babbasa TV and help to coordinate, film and edit Babbasa TV content! If I was to describe myself, I would say I am a creative person who loves to come up with ideas. I would also say I'm passionate about my work and really enjoy...
Staff: Sangeetha Wynter – Training and Inclusion Manager
I previously worked in education for 6 years as a qualified teacher, and fancied a new direction. The work Babbasa really intrigued and inspired me, and I knew straight away I wanted to be a part of this journey. My role is very people-centred, which I really enjoy as...
Staff: Kate La Tour – Head of Development
I lead on fundraising and building partnerships with employers and organisations to offer opportunities; and in turn support them to understand the needs of diverse young people entering the world of work. I joined Babbasa in March, just at the beginning of lockdown....
Staff: Louise Goux-Wirth- Assistant Services Manager
Hello, my name is Louise (pronouns she/her). I am the Assistant Services Manager where my role is to support the leadership of the Services Team whilst managing a variety of commissioned projects and contributing to growing our organisational impact. Before...
Staff: Husnaa Ahsan- Placement Lead
Hello, I’m Husnaa. My job as Placement Programme Lead is to prepare, place and support our young people into the world of work. I run a number of pre-recruitment workshops with our participants to provide coaching and mentoring, and more importantly, to ensure...
Staff: Izzy Francke – Recruitment and Inclusion Staff Coordinator
My name is Izzy Francke and I am the Recruitment and Inclusion Services Coordinator. I help to promote and market Babbasa’s Inclusion and Recruitment services to businesses in Bristol, and I am the liaison between clients who are looking to employ the young people we...
Pic Person
dfgfvsdfvdfsvsvsdv If I had to describe myself in three words I’d say problem solver, good listener, and a bit of a joker. I love solving a problem, this may have been down to growing up listening to loads of detective stories and reading such books. In...
Staff: Vanessa Lerbs – Outreach Lead
Hi I'm Vanessa, 'm in charge of all things outreach. Within my job you’d often find me running around the city at community events, pop-ups and school engagements. I'm always on the lookout for new opportunities to support young people and tell them about the...
Staff: Mikhalia Simmons: Recruitment Lead
I'm Mikhalia, Babbasa's Recruitment Lead. I attract, advise and match work-ready candidates from low income/ethnic minority backgrounds and client companies requiring paid employed staff. I would describe myself as empathetic, thoughtful and nurturing. The most...
Staff: Ellie Placide
My name is Ellie, I am 21 years old and I am the Operations Assistant at Babbasa. I work alongside all services within Babbasa and assist with various tasks to alleviate workloads. I do a lot of admin work, outreach work, internal and external communications. I also...
Staff: Pravanya Pillay – Project Lead
I started at Babbasa – during my degree – working as an intern. I enjoyed it so much that after my placement ended I knew I wanted to stay on if I could – and luckily enough there was a role for me! There are so many great things about working at Babbasa, the team are...
Staff: Millie Morfitt – Challenge Programme Lead
My name is Millie Morfitt and I am the Challenge Programme Lead. Through this role, I support young people to create and host a social action campaign or event for social issues that they are passionate about. In previous years this has included cultural, political,...
Staff: Louise Goux-Wirth – Assistant Services Manager
Hello, my name is Louise (pronouns she/her). I am the Assistant Services Manager where my role is to support the leadership of the Services Team whilst managing a variety of commissioned projects and contributing to growing our organisational impact. Before Babbassa...
Staff: Louise Goux-Wirth – Assistant Services Manager
Hello, my name is Louise (pronouns she/her). I am the Assistant Services Manager where my role is to support the leadership of the Services Team whilst managing a variety of commissioned projects and contributing to growing our organisational impact. Before...
Staff: Zoe Lynes
I'm Zoe Lynes, Babbasa's Assistant Services Manager I will be working with the Trailblazers and developing Babbasa’s offer for them, as well as supporting the wider delivery of Babbasa’s services and projects. I would describe myself as: tenacious, vivacious,...
Staff: Mo Ali – Trailblazer and Enterprise Lead
I'm Mo Ali, Babbasa's Trailblazer and Enterprise Lead. I have a varied role that cuts across 4 key areas:Trailblazers’ Coordinator:Being a Trailblazer myself, in this role I help create a dedicated program and support package for Babbasa alumni. Helping them put on...
Staff: Paul Jacobs – Engagement Lead (interim)
I'm Paul and I am currently Babbasa's Interim Service Manager. I oversee our Engagement Team and BRIS (Babbasa Recruitment & Inclusion Services) Team and I am part of the Babbasa Senior Leadership Team. I would describe myself as someone who is motivated,...
Staff: Sarah Dean – Communications Lead
I’m Sarah, Babbasa's Communications Lead I manage all of Babbasa's Social Media Platforms, make all of the eye-catching content and I ensure our Corporate partners, Community partners, young people, the whole of Bristol, (and whoever else wants to know) hears about...
Babbasa Board: Alexander Emenike
Alex is a chartered professional banker with broad business and management experience. As a corporate banking Assistant Director with Natwest Group PLC, I manage portfolios of corporate clients with £50m+ turnover in the United Kingdom, with specific focus on the...
Babbasa Board: Gurminder Kaur Nijjar
Gurminder started her legal career at the Legal Services Commission and moved on to practice management before qualifying and working in fraud, regulatory defence, risk and compliance. Gurminder has been with Irwin Mitchell for almost 10 years and is currently Head of...
Babbasa Board: Dr. Aby Sankaran BEng(Hons), PhD
‘If you can see it, you can be it’ As the Impact and Evaluation Manager for MyWorld, Dr. Aby Sankaran has spent a significant amount of her time executing impactful growth in the region. She is passionate about addressing the lack of diversity and inclusivity,...
Babbasa Board: Jonathan O’Toole
As Chief Product Officer and founding team member of Elvie, the revolutionary femtech company, Jonathan O’Toole is at the forefront of improving women’s lives by creating technology that they want, need and deserve. Since he joined Elvie in 2014 from Dyson, as...
Babbasa Board: Claire Giraldo (BSC, MA)
Hi everyone,I’m incredibly excited to be a new member of the Babbasa team. I’ve been a fan and follower for the last couple of years, so jumped at the opportunity to work more closely when the opportunity arose. I went to University in Bristol and the city will...
Babbasa Board: Carmen Tilbury – Youth Representative
I’m a Business Analyst for Coutts and Co. and work in change management to ensure we implement new processes and systems that support our diverse colleagues and clients. I launched the Multicultural Network in 2018 for our organisation in Bristol and as the chair,...
Bridging The Gap Training: 28th Feb, 21st March and 16th April
The innovative Bridging The Gap Programme builds on the business case for Diversity and Inclusion (Diversity Matters, McKinsey 2016; Inclusive Leadership, Deloitte Consulting 2016). It is designed for senior leaders, managers and supervisors, under four independent...
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