United Colleges Group is proud to work alongside our partner, Unloc.
Unloc are a dynamic and invigorating education provider who support schools, colleges and organisations to inspire and empower young people to become changemakers through bespoke and innovative programmes in entrepreneurship, leadership, youth voice and careers and employability.
The Changemaker Studios
With a range of activities for our students and young people in our local community, Unloc’s unique Changemaker Studios: Westminster space is based at our Maida Vale campus.
This dedicated space provides young people from across London with a central hub in which to find their voice, build their confidence, and develop the skills and abilities they need for future success.
It’s a space where young people are free to express themselves, find their inner voice, become empowered to succeed, and develop the skills to create lasting and positive change in their schools, colleges and communities.
The Changemaker Studios: Westminster space includes:
- Flexible events space for workshops on topics including entrepreneurship, leadership and social action
- Hot desking for students starting up new businesses, charities or community projects
- Technology to allow the sharing of ideas and communicate thought processes
- An extensive range of courses targeted at the advancement of young people and their voice Bespoke training and advancement programmes designed to compliment each space and set of young people
- Specialist facilitators to deliver workshops, programmes, debates and sessions
- Collaborative office space for staff
- Access to industry professionals and leading business figures, sharing their lived experiences and expertise face to face
Since opening in 2020, a wide range of events and activities have been held in this dedicated space for young people, including Enterprise Day events, Leadership and Employability Skills workshops, a General Election panel event connecting young people with members of government, our UCG Netzero Bootcamp, the infamous I AM: programme in partnership with Verizon Business, and the inspirational Women in Tech programme in partnership with Verizon and iconic fashion giant Burberry,
To find out more about Unloc and see all the current opportunities for young people visit: unloc.online/opportunities
For more information on Unloc and the programmes and courses they offer visit: unloc.org.uk
Recent and upcoming events in the Changemaker Studio at Madia Vale include:
16th May 2025 - Digital Inclusion Forms of the Future Hackathon with Post Office & CWC students
Students are exploring how designers can navigate the complexities of language, data accuracy and and user experience to create form options that are inclusive and accurately represent various gender identities without making anyone feel marginalised or misunderstood.
20th May 2025 - I AM Changemaker Day with Verizon
The Changemaker Day creates space for young people to explore EDI & racial justice, enabling them to better understand power and influence in their communities, followed by building their own in-school campaigns about an issue that matters deeply to them.
22nd May 2025 - Marketor's Trust Changemaker Day
Developing young people's enterprise skills and inspiring them to consider a career in marketing. Students will meet a guest speaker from the industry and the Marketors Trust. Taking part in skills-boosting masterclasses: Marketing, Branding, Finance and Pitching.They will then undertake a challenge and learn how to effectively pitch their ideas. Students will work together in teams to utilise marketing and branding as an effective tool to tackle a social business challenge.
19th June 2025 - Leadership Bootcamp
The Unloc Leadership Academy is an initiative to inspire passionate young leaders, to support their personal development and to channel their energy into tackling social issues faced by young people in their school, college or community. Participants will take part in a core leadership and social action skills masterclasses at the beginning of their bootcamp before specialising in a social issue they would like to address. Academy participants will then deliver social action projects (usually peer-led presentations) focusing on one of these priorities.
9th / 10th July 2025 - Enterprise Changemaker Challenge Days
Young people are introduced to local entrepreneurs, and take part in skills-boosting workshops. They are then challenged in teams to complete a ‘Changemaker Challenge’. Each challenge enables a team of young people to build an entrepreneurial solution to a real-life social issue supported by mentors at Verizon Business and Unloc.
