The Placements 2010


Coin Street Community Builders (CSCB) is a social enterprise and development trust which seeks to make London's South Bank a better place in which to live, to work and to visit. CSCB has transformed a largely derelict 13 acre site into a thriving mixed use neighbourhood by creating new co-operative homes; shops, galleries, restaurants, cafes and bars; a park and riverside walkway; sports facilities; by organising festivals and events; and by providing childcare, family support, learning, and enterprise support programmes.
Coin Street Community Builders are rapidly growing their consultancy services to work with more of the best and most ambitious neighbourhood projects and organisations - the inspirational leaders of the future. The On Purpose Associate will help design and implement the structures and processes needed for this.

Comic Relief works for a just world free from poverty.  Its mission is to drive positive change through the power of entertainment.   Comic Relief may be a charity but it has strong business acumen and works with corporate partners to produce profitable products and promotions.  It also helped launch social enterprises like Divine Chocolate, Liberation Nuts and the Seriously Good range of cooking sauces.
Comic Relief is constantly exploring ways of using private sector dynamics to help further its vision and mission. Be that through corporate partners or by launching new commercial initiatives. The On Purpose Associate is working in this exciting environment in the small but dynamic Innovation Team.


HCTGroup is an award winning and growing provider of public transport and related training services. Their vision is social justice and equality for all, achieved by the conduct of their activities, by re-investing generated surpluses, by increasing employability, by promoting community transport concepts and by applying the social enterprise business model.
The On Purpose Associate is working in HCT Group's head office with members of the senior management team on topics such as business development and social impact measurement. There will also be opportunities to observe the day-to-day operations of this £20m + transport business.

O2 is keen to use mobile and other wireless solutions to address social concerns and picks some campaigns for their social value, rather than commercial gain. The four main areas of focus are: Youth, Education, Health and the Environment.
The On Purpose Associate will work with O2’s Head of Brand Strategy on a new project, aligned with O2’s social aims. This will include helping to develop a plan and taking this through to launch and possibly beyond.

The Young Foundation brings together insight, innovation and entrepreneurship to meet social needs. They have a 55 year track record of success with ventures such as the Open University, Which?, the School for Social Entrepreneurs and Healthline (the precursor of NHS Direct). They work across the UK and internationally – carrying out research, influencing policy, creating new organisations and supporting others to do the same, often with imaginative uses of new technology.
The On Purpose Associate is working with a team spanning the Young Foundation and NESTA that is providing a Regional Innovation Funds Advisory Service to the NHS's Strategic Health Authorities in England. The Regional Innovation Funds were established in April 2009 to promote innovation in the NHS; alongside similar initiatives in the United States, it is the first time in history that investment on such a scale has been delivered with the sole aim of driving innovation.