Challenge

Proper Job Theatre is a social enterprise creating meaningful work opportunities through teaching drama workshops.

They work with unemployed adults 19+ to build employability skills and prepare them for employment, training, volunteering, or further education.

Solution

Their LAB Project is a two-week course that combines team work, confidence building and communication skills. The course works towards participants delivering a drama workshop in a school during the second week, with further opportunity for participants who complete the course to gain an accredited Level 1 Award in Progression.

Proper Job Theatre was able to develop a Theory of Change on UnLtd's Thrive programme, which then helped them raise further funding and support. They have also taken on a blended debt and grant from UnLtd's Impact Fund.

Revenue model

Their business model has four key income streams:

1. Local Authority Funding related to the Adult Education Budget
2. National funds contracting through local authority like  DWP etc
3. Income from theatre productions
4. Grant funding from Arts Council England, National Lottery, trusts and foundations

They received blended funding from UnLtd:

• Loan - £131, 000
• Grant - £19,000

Find out more about blended finance here.

Impact

The funding from UnLtd has supported them to improve their working capital facility. They can therefore concentrate on getting bigger contracts which require them to have higher amounts of cash in the bank.

They've also managed to improve their marketing and branding, which has brought in more contracts.

They can now reach hundreds, if not thousands, more people across the North of England. Further, the loan was used to invest in their IT infrastructure which helped them to develop their central office and training space in Huddersfield.

For every £1 we spend on their courses, they generate £23 of social impact.

“I’ve noticed that I have improved my confidence, I usually sit back and not speak but I feel that this course has made me feel more optimistic and positive. My perspective about situations has also been changed.”

• LAB participant

“In developing our Theory of Change, it’s helped us to really hone our ability to raise money… and say, this is what we do, this is how we evaluate it, and this is how we measure its impact.”

“it was great for our confidence to be able to feel that we are a really good organisation, and to have recognition from a national organisation like UnLtd who have much bigger connections than us.”

• James Beale, Director of Proper Job Theatre

“Working with Proper Job Theatre Company over the last few years has been inspiring. Their dedication to supporting unemployed adults in the North of England through the medium of theatre is unique and impactful. They have helped over 7000 people to complete their course, with the majority progressing into employment, work experience or education. James and the team are always eager to strengthen their business and impact model, and UnLtd has enjoyed working with them to achieve clearer and stronger impact reporting.”

• Camilla Elwood, UnLtd Portfolio Manager

Investor Details

UnLtd is the foundation for social entrepreneurs - finding, funding, and supporting enterprising individuals who are creating solutions to society's most challenging social issues.