We're teaming up with Opportunity Sheffield on a paid internship pilot! 🚀
Hey Fresh Meet family! đź‘‹
We've been sitting on this one for a while, and honestly, keeping quiet has been tough. Fresh Meet CIC has officially partnered with Sheffield City Council's Pathways to Work programme, delivered through Opportunity Sheffield, to run a paid internship pilot for young people who aren't currently in employment, education or training (NEET).
It's the biggest step yet in doing exactly what we set Fresh Meet up to do: open real doors into digital careers for young people who don't always get a look-in.
So what's actually happening?
The pilot is already up and running, and it goes until early 2027. Ten young people are each getting 100 hours of paid internship work.
And when we say real work, we mean it. No made-up exercises, no coffee runs, no "watch and learn" nonsense. Our interns are getting stuck into Fresh Meet's own client and in-house projects, plus work we're delivering for Bravand clients. Along the way, they're getting hands-on with:
Software development
Platform design
User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design
Data analytics and engineering
Project management
Digital marketing
Digital production
Every single hour is paid. Interns aged 18 and over get the Real Living Wage, and nobody works unpaid hours. Ever.
They're working side-by-side with experienced pros from our core team and freelance network, building skills employers actually care about, portfolio work they can point at, and a professional network to take with them.
Why this matters
Breaking into digital is tough. Employers want experience, but how do you get experience if no one gives you a shot? That's the whole reason Fresh Meet exists.
The work behind Fresh Meet goes back to 2013, when the team at Bravand started running Careers in Digital workshops, talks in schools and colleges, and work experience. Since 2020, that's included paid internships funded out of their own pocket. As it grew, it needed a home of its own, so in 2025 Fresh Meet CIC was set up to house it and scale it.
Today we run three core offers for young people up to 25: paid internships, Careers in Digital workshops and Innovation Labs.
As a Community Interest Company, we're a social enterprise limited by guarantee with an asset lock. No shareholders, no dividends, and our Directors aren't paid simply for holding the title. Everything we earn goes straight back into the mission.
The Bravand backing
Quick refresher: Fresh Meet is powered by Bravand. Bravand's trading income, client projects, capability and credibility are what land the paid work our Fresh Meeters do.
Clients get fresh thinking and extra capacity. Interns get real briefs, real deadlines and real professionals around them, inside a working studio, not a simulated one. Win-win.
Bravand has always been a small core team plus a network of specialist freelancers. That gives our interns a close-up view of the full range of roles in digital, and the people doing them. Bravand is also a Cornerstone Employer with the South Yorkshire Careers Hub.
We know this works đź’Ş
This pilot builds on something we've already proven, with our own investment. We've supported 17 paid interns to date. Three are on the programme right now, and all 14 of our "graduates" have moved into a positive destination: employment, freelance work, or further or higher education.
Some are still working with us on a flexible, paid basis. You can read Reuben's take on his experience and Haylee's journey (so far...) on their Team Tuesday posts.
As our Co-Founder and Managing Director Ross Musgrove put it when we announced the partnership:
"We created Fresh Meet to give young people a genuine route into digital careers, combining paid, practical experience with support from professionals already working in the industry. Our previous internships have shown that this model works, and our partnership with Opportunity Sheffield will allow us to support more young people across Sheffield to build confidence, skills and a clear next step."
Employers: want to give someone their first step?
We're building a network of employers who want to give emerging talent a first step into paid work once they've "graduated" from our internship programme. That could be a full-time role, a part-time or freelance contract, an apprenticeship, or a project opportunity. Any size of organisation is welcome.
There's a practical angle, too. From January 2027, the Government's new Social Value Model (PPN 026) will ask suppliers bidding for major central government contracts to show how they create jobs and opportunities for people facing barriers to employment. Offering a role to a Fresh Meet graduate is a genuine, evidenced way to do exactly that.
Sound like you? Drop Ross a line:
07799 885 950
Got a project?
If you've got a website, digital product or service project of your own, working with us (and Bravand) directly helps fund more of these opportunities. That's the whole point of the model. Get in touch at hello@freshmeet.co.uk.
Stay tuned for more updates as the pilot rolls on. We can't wait to share what our interns get up to! 🚀
