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Young people from North London including Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington, who are recovering from poor mental health were given the chance to design, create and sell a range of T-shirts as part of Hope FX, a project that sets them on course for a career in the fashion industry.

Following a first trial with the Partnership, the first cohort of 10 young people have completed their first designs and were able to take part on the official launch of Hope FX earlier this year.

Over the past six months, young people received wrap-around support and tuition from Fashion-Enter Ltd (FEL) which is the social enterprise leading on this programme.

The team at FEL provided the young people with training in fashion illustration, pattern cutting, sewing skills, traditional and digital printing techniques, and state-of-the-art digital ethical technologies. 

Our CEO Jinjer Kandola MBE visited them last week along with our Chief of Staff, Andrew Wright (photograhed below with some of the young people and FEL's CEO).

More about Hope FX and FEL

The program of Hope FX is based on giving a sense of purpose to people that are currently at risk of mental health issues and are at recovery.

Fashion-Enter Ltd (FEL) has been working with the Partnership for the project which has given ten young adults a chance to produce their own unique, t-shirt design and see it all the way from a sketch to the high street. 

FEL CEO Jenny Holloway said:

 “As a social enterprise this is what Fashion-Enter Ltd is all about - supporting and encouraging individuals from the community. As a society we are waking up to the importance of positive mental health and wellbeing and being creative with projects like this gives direction, encouragement and more importantly hope for the future. Hence the name!  I am personally excited to see the designs that the group will come up with and we are able to follow through with selling opportunities as well.”

Dr Nina Browne, Clinical Community Psychologist for the North London Mental Health Partnership,  who is leading on this project from the Partnership said:

“This is an incredible opportunity to work together to learn how we can build meaningful partnerships across our communities and industries. We want to create more capacity outside of our clinic settings for young people to thrive and develop in the real world.”  

Fashion-Enter Ltd is an award-winning social enterprise that works closely with GLA, Welsh Government, Haringey Council, Islington Council, and Leicester City Council to provide innovative skills programmes. Providing qualification attainment Levels 1-5, Fashion-Enter Ltd is the first ESFA-approved training provider that incorporates the latest technologies into their learning curriculum within the backdrop of their SMETA and Fast Forward-approved factories. Fashion-Enter Ltd commenced training in 2008 following a grant from ASOS for a stitching academy and garment manufacturing in 2010 after receiving further funding from ASOS.