An innovative community currency in Stoke-on-Trent has secured significant backing from three major organisations.
The Potteries Pound will give people the chance to bank actions such as volunteering and caring for elderly relatives to exchange for digital tokens which can be spent at participating businesses.
Daily Focus reported last month that it was being launched with the aim of improving society and empowering individuals.
It has now received backing from organisations representing business, charity, and academic sectors in the north of the county.
Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, YMCA North Staffordshire, and Keele University’s Business School are lending their support.
And local companies are still being encouraged to become sponsors.
A meeting for those who are interested will take place at the Chambers’ headquarters on Festival Park on Friday, 6 December.
North Staffordshire’s MPs are also being invited to attend the event at Commerce House.
Chris Plant, Deputy Chief Executive of Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, said: “We are fully behind this unique initiative which will support local people into work through volunteering and will build a bridge between the business and voluntary sector organisations in Staffordshire.
“This provides significant opportunities through which companies can get involved in a new kind of community focused Corporate Social Responsibility programme making a tangible difference to people’s lives.”
Organisers want to develop the Potteries Pound concept to develop volunteers, greatly improving their future prospects provide.
This will be kick-started with 125 young people recruited from the area with support from YMCA North Staffordshire, gaining experience though voluntary work on exchange for Potteries Pounds, with a view to them becoming the social entrepreneurs of the future.
The approach has been developed by a community benefit society called #BeKind as part of a wider project called The Stoke Model.
#BeKind Director Dave Proudlove said: “The untapped potential of volunteers is huge. In business, they term work done to support the community CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), but we want local companies to think of it as Corporate Social Opportunity.
“One example, where support is vitally needed is children leaving care. According to recent figures from the Department for Education, 41 per cent of care leavers aged between 19 and 21 are not in education, employment, or training (NEET), compared to 12 per cent of young people generally.”
The free event takes place between 9am and 11am.
To secure a place, click here.
