Since 2014, SVA has been incubating a model for demand-led employment called the Industry Employment Initiative (IEI). The model aims to create sustainable employment for disadvantaged job seekers, while helping employers meet their recruitment needs and corporate responsibility objectives.

Incubating the IEI has highlighted the importance of knowing your ‘endgame’ and your stage of development, as different mechanisms and benchmarks apply.

The IEI Youth Pilot also showed the value of an iterative approach in the start-up phase as relationships developed and so the model could respond to what was being learnt.

Innovative philanthropists funded the design, testing and iteration of the new model by being willing to take risks and learn alongside those delivering the program.