The Trust partnership will address social disadvantage and offer support and opportunities to all students in the community
Enterprise Cooperative Trust (ECT) has announced its first official school partner, the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London (CONEL), which joins the Trust this month to further strengthen the life opportunities for all young people in Enfield.
Across the UK and prominently within the London Borough of Enfield, there are long-standing challenges around inequality amongst young people which have been exacerbated further by the impact of Covid-19. ECT was set up as a not-for-profit cooperative, by West Lea School in Edmonton, to address these inequalities and provide opportunities for all young people, by bringing together members of the community.
This new partnership with CONEL (part of the Capital City Colleges Group) will mean that ECT’s mission to support the aspirations of young people in Enfield can grow in new and exciting ways. This includes providing greater access to work experience and paid employment for students, as well as offering additional training opportunities and resources for staff.
Carl Boyd, Head of Quality & Compliance at CONEL, said:
“At the College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London, we help people, employers and our community succeed, by providing outstanding education and vocational training with a particular focus on skills for employment. ECT’s purpose – to improve the life chances of young people in Enfield – is what CONEL also stands for and so we are proud to amplify this message. This partnership will help to grow our work and will help us deliver more training to Enfield’s young people and improve the digital support they receive.
“ECT’s passion for genuinely helping young people and those with additional educational needs is unrivalled. It resonates throughout the community. Young people are at the heart of ECT’s mission and their commitment to their core values is refreshing.”
Janet Leach, Chair of Enterprise Cooperative Trust, said:
“We are very excited to welcome CONEL to the ECT family. Together, we will work to support and celebrate every child, no matter their ability and encourage them to not only realise – but also fulfil – their full potential.
“As a society, we face many challenges including unemployment and social disadvantage. Despite this, the future for all young people can be bright and infinitely hopeful. Working together, we will be able to challenge the status quo and develop learners for life with the skills and expertise needed to flourish in the working world, both now and into the future.”
Unlike the structure of a multi-academy trust, partners of ECT work towards cooperative values, combining joint accountability while retaining autonomous independence. From businesses and schools to local authorities and charities, members and partners of the Trust to date include West Lea School, Learning for Life Charity, and now, the College of Haringey Enfield and North East London.
In order to enhance provision and ensure that children in the local community can become the very best they can be, ECT is actively seeking more partners and members in the local area to join.