On 9th December 2019 REY Europe will be 10 years old. To celebrate our anniversary, we’re looking back at what we’ve achieved… and looking forward to where we’ll be heading in the next 10 years and beyond.
New direction, new name
As we’ve grown, the name REY Europe has felt less and less relevant. We wanted a new name that captures the essence of what we do and our intentions for our work going forward – Providing enhanced opportunities and empowering people to access to them. Enabling people to move upwards and fulfil their potential.
So, on our 10th anniversary we will officially relaunch as RISE International.
Making a life-changing impact
We’ve travelled a long way since 2009 when our focus was on renewable energy, and university graduates entering the jobs market.
Today, most of our work is for young people in vocational training. Through the provision of international work placements, we have provided life-changing opportunities for an audience who wouldn’t otherwise have access to them.
Many of these young people had never previously travelled abroad – and weren’t aware that programmes such as Erasmus + existed for them. This programme has had a powerful positive impact on their lives. It has opened their eyes to a wealth of opportunity. Giving them the knowledge and confidence to grasp it with both hands.
We’ll be sharing some of their stories over the next few months, finding out where our past participants are now and how the programme has impacted on them in the long term.
Growing our UK network, support and knowledge-sharing
Our staff team has grown, and each new member has brought their own experience, talent and energy to the organisation.
By strengthening our own practice, we have been able to provide tailored support to a steadily expanding network of UK colleges. Four new partnerships have been established this year, with others in the pipeline.
As our network continues to grow, we’re able to offer a wide variety of practical support and consultation. This includes:
• Support to access funding
• End to end project design, management and delivery
• Toolkits and resources to strengthen programme delivery
Our staff actively seek to share knowledge and learn from others. We work across multiple sectors to contribute to projects that strengthen vocational learning and skills development.
Expanding our international network
As REY’s work has grown, we have been steadily developing our international network. This means we can share our skills and offer support to a broader network of stakeholders.
The 10-year anniversary is an opportunity for us to plan our strategy for taking our international partnerships forward in the future.
World Social Enterprise Forum in Addis Ababa
On 23rd October 2019, we’ll be attending the World Social Enterprise Forum in Addis Ababa.
This is a fabulous opportunity for collaboration and knowledge-sharing.
We’re looking forward to meeting social entrepreneurs from a variety of businesses, sharing practical ideas and strategies on how to run a successful business whilst addressing social and environmental issues.
… and on to Sierra Leone
We have been developing our networks in West Africa, and in the New Year will be exploring new opportunities for partnership – particularly in Sierra Leone.
We’re hoping to collaboratively address the challenges around vocational education, and to explore opportunities to support its development.
With our strategic plan in place we are excited to explore new opportunities for partnership, knowledge sharing and collaboration. If you would like to find out more about Rise International and how to partner with us, do get in touch.
