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vInspired & Retail Trust team up to launch Retail Ready People

vInspired, the charity dedicated to helping young people do good things, has teamed up with Retail Trust to offer young people in England aged 16 – 25 the opportunity to take part in a new 12 week skills development and volunteering programme called Retail Ready People (RRP).

Retail Ready People is now recruiting young people who want to enter or progress in the retail sector and give them the chance to set up and run a high street shop in their local area. Working as part of a 30-strong team of young volunteers, they'll take part in a FREE training programme to develop key retail skills. They’ll put their training into action by transforming empty shops into creative retail spaces at the heart of the community.

The project will run in 10 high street locations across England between 2012 - 2014, with Brighton & Hove City and the London Borough of Enfield confirmed as the first two locations for 2012.

Retail Ready People is supported by vInspired, Retail Trust and Dan Thompson, of Empty Shops Network and #Riotcleanup fame, who will work with young people to turn empty shops into amazing pop-up spaces.

Nigel J L Rothband, Chief Executive of Retail Trust, says: “We’re very excited about our partnership with vInspired as over 30% of the retail sector workforce is made up of 16-24 year olds, more than double the all-industry average for the UK of 13%.

“We want to support community collaboration between retailers and youth and to encourage local regeneration through the use of empty units on our high street and within town centres. We are now calling on retailers to support their employees’ development through the programme and we encourage young people in Brighton and Enfield to apply online at www.vinspired.com/rrp-retail-ready-people”

Terry Ryall, CEO of vInspired explains: “vInspired is a charity that, quite simply, gives young people the opportunity to do good things.  This innovative partnership with Retail Trust will not only help build skills for future careers in retail, it will create important links between young people and their local communities. By combining Retail Trust’s expertise in retail, and our own in motivating young people, we hope our three year project will help to inject a new life into our high streets.”

Find out more about Retail Ready People on our website  at #RetailReady, or contact Laura Horsley lhorsley@retailtrust.org.uk or 020 8358 7223 / 07725 672 468.

Deadline for applications Monday 27th August 2012.