A not-for-profit project that supports young people in Swindon interested in setting up their own business has secured £100k in funding in just three months.

Business owners and managers are being sought to join a mentoring scheme to support young people with employability and enterprise skills.

Sadie Sharp, founder of youth development firm The Platform Project based in Dorcan, Swindon, has launched the scheme at a time when job prospects for young people are shrinking.

Entrepreneur James Phipps has been appointed as chairman of Swindon youth development firm The Platform Project.

The philanthropic businessman has been involved as a non-executive director for 12 months and has now stepped up to support continued growth, community and business engagement.

Swindon-based youth development firm The Platform Project has been awarded a grant of £36,500 from the Social Enterprise Support Fund to help more young people improve their employability prospects.

The fund provides essential financial support to help social enterprises meet additional demands, change the way they work, make their spaces Covid-secure, and manage liquidity during the next six months.

Entrepreneur and author Sadie Sharp is a regional finalist in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2020 in the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award category.

These regional and awards support, connect and encourage entrepreneurial minds in the UK and have become well known in the business calendar. The regional, virtual, awards ceremony will be held on Wednesday, September 23 and if Sadie wins, she will go forward for the national title.

Business consultant and author Sadie Sharp is working with 100 scientists, the majority female, to help them build their confidence in a male-dominated sector.

The expert in transformational leadership will be working with the women to lead a Confidence Incarnate virtual course this month (July 13) as part of an ongoing initiative to up-skill more women in science sectors with skills around their behaviour and mindset.

Business consultant and author Sadie Sharp is launching a weekly video blog to discuss issues that hold people back in life and business.

Her first vlog, which will go live on Friday (May 29) will discuss Post Traumatic Growth with special guest psychotherapist Julie Mattinson, director of the Swindon-based mental health charity Ipsum.