Worthian launches social enterprise initiative

Former Worth student Justin Kelly has launched a social enterprise initiative, teaching practical life skills to young people based around the concept of reduce, reuse, recycle and repair.

Justin, who was in St Bede’s, left Worth in 1992 and, after motorcycling around India and Nepal, went to Bristol University to read Theology. After graduating with a 2:1 he did the law conversion course and qualified as a solicitor in 2000. He specialised in intellectual property law and worked for numerous media companies including Bloomsbury Publishing, United Agents talent agency, Recorded Picture Company film production and the sales agent Hanway Films. He also produced the feature film How To Be starring Robert Pattinson.

In recent times Justin has decided to leave Law and start a social enterprise called How To Basically which is a place where people can go to be taught useful things. The first workshop is a converted bull pen in a farm building 20 minutes from Worth. It has been built using salvaged and repurposed materials in keeping with How To Basically’s ethos of repairing, repurposing and reusing.

Justin said: “I kept thinking how important it is for young people to be taught life skills in a clear and concise way with hands-on practice, so I decided to start How To Basically. Being at Worth taught me the value of community and the need to help others less fortunate which is why our social mandate is to provide life skills training for free to those with financial, mental and/or physical challenges.”

Current How To Basically courses include: How to use a power drill; Life skills for leaving home; Plumbing; Painting and decorating; Gardening (sewing seeds and harvesting); Car maintenance; 101 things to make from a pallet.

Justin added: “Learning these skills is all about feeling good, about developing the skills and confidence to have a go at things whilst saving money and the environment.”

This is the latest in a series of articles entitled Alumni in the News. Worth likes to keep in touch with former students and to hear about their successes and achievements.

For more on our alumni society click here.