Working Rite origin story
by Sandy Campbell
“I wanted to champion the cause of these young people, to create something that worked with them and for them specifically.”
Sandy Campbell
- Founder of Working Rite
Working Rite was born in Leith and brought up in Scotland, its existence inspired by my perception of a damaging lack of options for many of our country’s teenagers.
In the early years of the millennium, academia was king. Politicians were pushing a one-size-fits-all agenda based solely on education and qualifications. Unsurprisingly, those young people who were champing at the bit to get out of the classroom and make their way in the adult world of work, were not only woefully short of options, but being labelled as ‘failures’. The newly coined term, ‘NEET’ was being bandied about – not in education, employment, or training.
I get it. When I was their age, I was desperate to find my place and purpose in the real world. I wanted to learn from lived experience, from the wisdom of older adults not classroom theory. Remembering this so vividly from my own past life, I wanted to champion the cause of these young people, to create something that worked with them and for them specifically.
And so, Working Rite came into being. From small beginnings in Leith in 2003, to an expanding presence across Scotland, it is today, stronger, and truer to its mission than it has ever been.
But a good idea doesn’t become a success on its own. It needed: vision, determination, belief and, most importantly, allies.
Vision
Determination
Belief
Vision: because from the outset, I had a clear picture of exactly what I wanted to change and what the solution should look like.
Determination: because in the business world there are always ups and downs. We have seen off two take-over attempts and survived sudden changes in funding policy that risked our extinction.
Belief: because I knew it was right. Learning by doing, alongside older mentors, mastering practical challenges, and overcoming difficulties are key components in human evolution and an intrinsic part of the path to adulthood; embedded in our name, a working rite of passage.
Allies: All the above defer to this one. As a wise man said to me in my solitary early days, ‘you do know you can’t do this on your own?’ Understanding that was the pivotal point of change. I started to reach out and find allies, others who would enrich my vision, share my belief, and become determined to fight for Working Rite with a passion that matched mine.
And throughout, the most loyal and committed have been our workforce. Each of them have made the purpose of the charity their own. Long will it last!
Sandy Campbell started campaigning for young people in 2002 and founded the charity Working Rite in 2008.
He is retired and continues to support Working Rite. He is an ambassador for the charity.
