FLiP

FLiP is a youth-targeted web application that harnesses social networks for a serious purpose: empowering young people to identify their talents and skills, with the help of their friends, to find work or training that matches their strengths and interests.

challenge

Amongst youth who commit crime, unemployment is the single most important risk factor in reducing re-offending, and failure to get employment is a major reason to re-offend. Research in the UK and the US shows that ex-offenders are less likely to be re-convicted if they are employed. commonground wanted to find a way to help at-risk teenagers find education, employment, or training in a way that made sense for them.


Cheyenne tells it like it is from Flip Jobs on Vimeo

process

By teaming up with Camden Council Apprenticeship Programme as well as White October and Itamar Ferrer, commonground co-developed an online tool based on peer-to-peer assessment. By using their social networks, young people get their friends to help them identify and communicate their strongest skills which can then be listed on their FLiP CV. FLiP then links young people to real employment, education, and training opportunities that match their skills and interests.
FLiP started at the Jailbrake weekend. The aim was to break the cycle of youth offending by using simple web and mobile applications. commonground led the project development by gathering insights and running workshops, peer research activities, and interviews with young people and others who had a vested interest in preventing youth crime. commonground then co-designed, prototyped, and tested the website application to make sure it was functional and fun.

result

The website will be piloted and integrated with the existing services for Camden Council Apprenticeship Programme in late spring of 2011. FLiP is part of the Reboot Britain Programme and has received development funding from NESTA and UnLtd. Once the beta test is over, commonground plans to scale the project up and offer it to other councils and organizations in the UK and abroad.

FLiP showreel from Flip Jobs on Vimeo.