Charity | Posted on August 21st, 2024 | return to news
Dorset-based charity nominated for global award
The charity SAMEE, which helps disabled people start their own business, is one of only five UK entrants shortlisted for the Zero Project Awards.
Dorset-based charity SAMEE (Support and Mentoring Enabling Entrepreneurship), which is committed to helping disabled people start their own business, has been shortlisted for a prestigious global award.
The charity has been selected from 522 nominations from 90 countries around the world for a Zero Project Award 2025. SAMEE is one of only five UK-based entries to reach the shortlist this year.
Sam Everard, CEO and founder of SAMEE, said “I cannot believe that a small charity like ours has reached the global shortlist. It’s incredible! But most important to me is that our project is now recognised as being aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD).”
Zero Project aims to help with the implementation of the UN CRPD. The Zero Project Awards look to identify innovative solutions for inclusive employment and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
The focus of SAMEE’s nomination was its Supported Self Employment Internship, which supports people with disabilities to develop the skills needed to run their own businesses. It combines training in all aspects of running a business alongside work placements and mentoring support for a year.
Everard explained the internship further: “We already have seven people on the internship, many with complex neurodivergent challenges. The work rotations are with relevant employers so that they can build on their self-employment skills linked to their career aspirations. These include a gardener, artist, social media developer, crafter and photographer.”
The Zero Project Awards shared this feedback on the charity’s achievement: “By addressing the needs and rights of persons with disabilities, you are contributing to the global effort to create a more just, equitable, and inclusive society – a world with zero barriers.
“Your innovative solution has been selected from 522 nominations from 90 countries. Your peers, who share the same passion and vision for creating a more inclusive world, have acknowledged the profound impact your project has had and continue to have. This is a testament to the fact that your work resonates deeply within the global disability inclusion community.”
In the following weeks, hundreds of experts will vote on the shortlisted nominations to determine who will receive a Zero Project Award 2025. The winners will be announced on Tuesday 3 December – the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
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