Join Venture Studio's online Expert by Experience panel

Join the Experts by Experience Panel of the Venture Studio!

Use your experience of homelessness to assess young businesses and their impact on ending or preventing homelessness. 

The Venture Studio builds, supports, and invests in businesses developing solutions that either prevent or end homelessness. We are looking for a team of 10 people to sit on the 2022-23 Experts by Experience panel.

You will learn about co-production and its principles, social businesses and how they can measure their impact. Over the course of the year you will have regular sessions to grow as a team and feedback on new business ideas.

Of those regularly attending our Expert by Experience panel sessions in 2021-22: 100% felt their voice was heard & 100% would recommend joining the panel

 

 

Find out more about the role 

Role Description:

Experts by Experience Panel of the Venture Studio

 

What is the Venture Studio?

In September 2020, Crisis launched their Venture Studio to accelerate the end of homelessness through entrepreneurship. The Venture Studio builds, supports, and invests in founders and businesses developing solutions that will either prevent or end homelessness.

We are looking for a team of ten lived experience experts to help us assess what impact young businesses can have on ending homelessness. And to support those businesses building their impact assessment tools. An understanding of or previous engagement with Crisis services or businesses is not mandatory.

Aim of the role

·         To review businesses and their potential for impact on ending homelessness as part of our investment process

·         To co-design the impact management framework of our investments and the Venture Studio itself

·         Shape our Impact Report due to be published in September

We expect to be actively working with 3 businesses from May. As a member of the Venture Studio co-production team, you will be asked for your opinion, your expertise and your creative input over the course of a year. The businesses are primarily focused on improving access to housing.

 

Timings: May 2022 – April 2023

Expectations: You will need to be available for up to 4 hours of meetings per month. 

Location: Most meetings will be conducted online via Zoom. We can support you by ensuring you have the equipment and training needed.

Supported by: Felix Litzkow and Katrin Busch, The Venture Studio from Crisis

Who can apply: Crisis members and anyone with lived experience of homelessness is welcome to apply.  

 

Core tasks

·         Attending regular group workshops via Zoom

·         Actively listening to others

·         Sharing your opinion

·         Thinking creatively

·         Considering the needs of others

·         Working as part of a team

 

What you will gain

·         Training on the principles of co-production and impact measurement in businesses

·         Experience of working with a national organisation

·         The opportunity to share existing or to develop new skills in a friendly and supportive environment

·         An understanding of the process of measuring the impact of a business

·         Experience of working as part of a team

·         Opportunity to use your lived experience of homelessness to give Crisis’s work greater integrity

·         Opportunity to shape which businesses Crisis invests in to end or prevent homelessness for others

·         A platform for building confidence

·         A reference from a reputable organisation

 

Remuneration

You will receive £30 for the first two hours of any session, and £15 for each hour after. This can be paid in cash or vouchers. If you are unsure about the impact this might have on benefits, Crisis have specialist benefits advisors happy to discuss your individual circumstances with you.

 

This role would be suitable for someone who has: 

·         A genuine interest in entrepreneurship and business

·         An enthusiasm for learning and developing new skills

·         An interest in assessing impact on ending homelessness

·         A willingness to listen to, respect and work with the opinions and ideas of others

·         Assertiveness in sharing your own ideas and experiences

·         An open mind – creativity and thinking outside the box is key!

·         A willingness to commit to a long-term project

·         Enthusiasm for working as part of a team

·         A wish to use your lived experience of homelessness in a practical way that supports the work of Crisis

·         Good timekeeping and reliability

·         An understanding of the importance of confidentiality and maintaining boundaries

·         Be positive, productive and have a passion to help end homelessness

 

Additional information

We expect participants to comply with Crisis policies including health and safety, data protection and code of conduct at all times.

·         Any travel expenses incurred will be reimbursed

·         Any costs or equipment needed to participate can be covered/provided by Crisis

·         We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and from people with disabilities

 

Next steps:

Submit your interest to via this short form

Speak to your lead worker about your interest in this role.

Once you have completed the form, we will arrange an informal phone or video call to understand your motivations and answer any questions you have.

The closing date for applications is 20th June.

Follow-on calls will take place in the days following with an introduction session that week too.

Once we have spoken to everyone who has expressed interested, we will confirm this year’s Experts by Experience panel.

 

Got questions?

Email venture.studio@crisis.org.uk