We are incredibly grateful to Impetus for their generous support through the Connect Fund. This funding provides a transformative opportunity that will enable Business Launchpad to strengthen our employability support for young people and deepen our impact, empowering more young entrepreneurs to overcome barriers and achieve their ambitions. This partnership with Impetus aligns perfectly with our mission to empower young people to realise their potential and build sustainable futures. Together, we are paving the way for impactful change and creating opportunities for those who need it most.

Felicia Mattis-Rome, CEO, Business Launchpad

The need: Our research shows that young people from disadvantaged backgrounds are twice as likely as their better-off peers to be out of education, employment, or training (NEET). Young people from ethnic minority backgrounds* also face unique challenges, with 71% experiencing workplace discrimination according to Youth Futures Foundation research.

Our portfolio partner: Business Launchpad is an enterprise charity which aims to help young people into employment or self-employment through 1:1 coaching and targeted programmes that include interactive workshops, business incubation and hands-on training in local workplaces. Based in Tooting, 85% of the young people on their programmes are from the global majority* and roughly 60% are from lower-income backgrounds.

Our impact: Impetus will work alongside Business Launchpad to further develop their employability offerings, expand their reach in neighbouring South London boroughs, and increase their fundraising income.

*A note on language: Business Launchpad uses the term 'global majority' to refer to individuals who come from Black, Asian, mixed, or other ethnic backgrounds often referred to as ‘ethnic minorities’, who together comprise about 80% of the world’s population. ‘Global majority’ is often used in place of other terms including BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic), BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour), and ethnic minorities.

At Impetus, through our Connect Fund, we work with organisations that are working to close the employment gap faced by young people from ethnic minority backgrounds, particularly Black, Bangladeshi, and Pakistani young people in the UK, because the data shows these groups are facing the most significant barriers to employment. We recognise that language is important, and that others use terms such as 'global majority', 'racialised communities', or 'communities experiencing racial inequity', each with specific and important nuance. In the interests of using language that is familiar and widely understood by potential partners and broader stakeholders, we have decided to use 'ethnic minority backgrounds', but we acknowledge this is not perfect.