26 September 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Arconic Foundation partners with EPIC in $25,000 donation

In a new partnership, Arconic Foundation has donated $25,000 in funding to EPIC, part of the Martin James Foundation, to enable the programme to increase its reach and support to disadvantaged young people across the West Midlands.

This funding will enable EPIC to engage school and community programmes and young people local to Arconic’s plant in Kitts Green, Birmingham.

In addition to the funding, EPIC will also work alongside Arconic’s workforce to create opportunities for its employees to mentor and coach young people in the EPIC programme and deliver masterclasses.

Calum Sawford, COO of the Martin James Foundation and Programme Lead for EPIC, comments:

This is a momentous time for EPIC having just hosted our inaugural EPIC Awards and welcoming a new cohort into the programme. Arconic Foundation’s generous support will build on this progress as we seek to reach more young people. It is especially meaningful to have the support of a local business who are committed to investing back into the community and offering tangible support for young people, especially those who have experienced disadvantages.  

Matthew Clive, Arconic Foundation Ambassador and Senior Metallurgical Process Engineer at Arconic’s plant in Kitts Green, comments:

“It’s a privilege to be supporting the excellent work of the EPIC programme and we are excited to continue building links in our local community and supporting the development of young people.”

EPIC’s programme, which launched in 2019, delivers real-world, hands-on support to young people wanting to, or are in the process of, starting their own business. Through a structured agenda, EPIC provides many resources including grant support to cover business start up costs, access to entrepreneurs, business mentoring, pastoral mentoring and coaching, specialist workshops and partnerships with other local organisations to enhance business networks and opportunities. To date, EPIC has helped more than 30 young people and will support 20 young entrepreneurs in the West Midlands alone this year.

EPIC is always on the look out for businesses and supporters to help with mentoring and fundraising, as well as applications from young people wishing to join the programme. If you would like to find out more about the programme, please email epicyoungbusiness@gmail.com. 

Notes to editors:

About EPIC:

EPIC is a business mentoring programme, engaging and enabling young people 16-25 years of age, who have experienced adversity and/or the care of a local authority, to create and launch their own company.

Young entrepreneurs are given 1-2-1 and group pastoral mentoring, focusing on self-esteem building through to skills-based sessions on employability, and group ‘Masterclasses’, which focus on key business areas such as Business and Financial Planning, Marketing and Brand design alongside specialist topics such as Web Design. This is complemented with 1-2-1 business mentoring sourced from an additional pool of mentors across different industries within the Martin James Network, ensuring every young person within the EPIC Young Business Programme has a person-centred, individualised plan with wrap-around support. EPIC also provides financial support to cover business start-up costs.

About Arconic Foundation:

Arconic Foundation partners with nonprofit and community organizations to strengthen its communities by enhancing education through skill-building learning experiences, promoting environmental sustainability, and advancing social equity. Arconic Foundation is independently endowed and invests in the communities of Arconic Corporation.

About Arconic:

Arconic is a leading provider of aluminium sheet, plate and extrusions, as well as innovative architectural products, that advance the automotive, aerospace, commercial transportation, industrial, packaging and building and construction markets.

Arconic has a plant in Kitts Green, Birmingham based near to Birmingham Airport that employs around 500 people.

For more information, please contact:

Kara Cousins-Kamari, Head of Communications

Kara.CousinsKamari@martinjames.foundation