community motors
Community Motors CIC was a social enterprise, set up in 2014 by Elaine and
Justin Cooper as a Community Interest Company, to meet two specific aims: To
provide excellent motor vehicle services to the local community and to provide
opportunities for young and disadvantaged people to train in useful vocational
skills, in particular motor vehicle mechanics. We saw and wanted to address the
career challenges of young people who are not ‘academic’, are probably not
suited for University, and who are currently not well served by an education
system which is primarily measured by – and hence values - academic results over
practical and personal development. Therefore, starting from an empty industrial
unit, and joined by Mark and Kevin, our Garage and Training Managers, we built
an enterprise from scratch which aimed to deliver practical and ethical
excellence in all we did. We provided clear and consistent services and advice
to our customers and alongside that offered young people the chance to gain
real-world experience and accredited training in a professional working
environment, working and learning alongside motivated, talented motor vehicle
technicians, many of whom had overcome their own struggles when growing up. We
worked hard to run and build the organisation as well as we could, building
relationships with local schools, colleges and pupil referral units, as well as
many, many members of the community around us, who came to trust us with the
safety and reliability of their vehicles. We won both local and national awards
for the quality of our enterprise, and many positive reviews and testimonials
from happy customers and trainees.
