Media Savvy wins ‘Social Enterprise Award’ and lands a highly commended ‘Best Training Provider’
31st October 2017 Date of publication
Sunderland based social enterprise Media Savvy CIC has been crowned as winners of the ‘Social Enterprise Award’ at this year’s Sunderland Echo Portfolio Awards 2017.
The event was held Thursday (26/10) at the Stadium of Light. The Awards Ceremony featured an impressive line-up of Wearside and East Durham businesses that had made it to the shortlist, alongside some local celebrities.
The evening’s proceedings featured seventeen different awards with Media Savvy being entered and shortlisted for two. They won the ‘Social Enterprise Award’ and picked up the Highly Commended Award for ‘Best Training Provider’, fending off stiff competition from multi-million pound turnover businesses.
Pictured left to right: Dan Makaveli (MD), Lisa MIller (Lead Creative Tutor), Haythem Tawfiq (Digital Tutor), Mel Makaveli (Health & Well-being Tutor)
Media Savvy’s Managing Director Dan Makaveli, a University of Sunderland graduate said:
‘’Although we had been shortlisted, the awards came as a complete surprise, especially the Highly Commended for ‘Best Training Provider’, given that we were up against some much larger organisations. We are very grateful for the awards, as it’s encouraging to gain acknowledgement for the great work we know we do in our local communities.’
Dan launched Media Savvy CIC in 2010 with support from the University’s Enterprise Place and the multi-award winning business has gone from strength to strength. All of the four current full time staff are UoS graduates. Their success is founded in their commitment to inspire hard-to-reach individuals via non-traditional teaching and learning methods and by implementing a highly successful, personalised, learning by stealth approach. The primary aims of their courses are to improve the employability prospects of the participants, many of whom who are facing multiple barriers to gaining meaningful and sustainable employment.
Laura Foster, the University of Sunderland’s Enterprise Place Manager said:
‘’I am so pleased that Media Savvy have again been recognised with these awards for all their hard work in the region. They are a shining example of social enterprise and great advocates for student and graduate enterprise, often coming back to talk to and support our upcoming entrepreneurs. I wish them every continued success!”
Peter Tyzack was originally a learner with Media Savvy. He went on to become a volunteer and then a paid support tutor. He said:
“I enjoyed the entire course. I had my doubts before because of my social anxiety, but each week it [the anxiety] got better and better with regards to my problems. My social ability improved a lot and I was able to help people who have not had that much experience with computers as me. I was wondering what I would do with myself when the course ended but Media Savvy wanted me to come and support future courses … I haven’t looked back. “
Peter’s confidence increased significantly during his time with Media Savvy. He is currently studying in his first year of an Animation & Games Art Degree at UoS, having already completed a one-year foundation course.
These awards are the latest in a long line of accolades for the Sunderland-based social enterprise, now in its eighth year of training In 2012, the not-for-profit organisation was named ‘Best Start-up Business in the North East & Yorkshire’ from over 200 shortlisted in the inaugural Lloyds TSB Enterprise Awards.
