Kindred’s ‘young ideas’ arm, Ideas Work, is gearing up for an exciting new programme that explores the crossover between creative practice and traditional trades. We catch up with two of the team behind EnviroCleanLCR – Ismaeel Hayter and Albaraa Elsamak – who are taking part.
Youth-led agency EnviroCleanLCR have become ‘Window Cleaners in Residence’ at our St Helens space this summer: “We get Artists in Residence, Writers in Residence, Poets etc, but not trades. Why not?” asks Emma Rushton, who leads the youth programme. “Why can’t people involved in trades take an opportunity to be creative too, or to expand what they do, research, ask questions, experiment and collaborate?”
Ismaeel set up the business alongside friend Dahir Nassir; alongside Albaraa, who has joined them. The three 14-year-olds are Liverpool Life Sciences UTC students, finishing year 9. “Teachers have said brilliant things about it and described it as extraordinary and innovative. School even gave me and Dahir time off so we could present EnviroCleanLCR to Prince William, which was incredible,” says Ismaeel.
The three set up EnviroCleanLCR in March 2024, with an aim to be entrepreneurial – alongside “building friendship, being more productive and helping the community”. They are planning nationwide expansion over the next few years alongside increasing their services in Liverpool, to include jet washing and car washing. They’re also planning to create more job opportunities for young people, work experience and business development training.
“It’s something that can give young people a proper chance to earn money, learn business skills, and stay out of trouble. It’s also a way for us to do something good for the community and the environment at the same time,” says Ismaeel.
“I am hoping it will enable them to make connections, see how others might do things differently, learn, research and test,” says Emma. “They will also have a mentor, Maria from Queer Bike Kitchen, who will work with them for a couple of sessions.”
Although still at the school, Ismaeel is conscious of the skills the three are learning: “It’s given us confidence talking to adults and managing other young people,” he says. “And we’ve learned proper business skills like dealing with customers, organising equipment, and planning jobs. It’s also made us realise that we’re capable of doing something big, even though we’re still young…
“I want to be a barrister when I’m older because I’m interested in law and helping people. Dahir wants to work in real estate and EnviroCleanLCR is helping him learn how to run a business and deal with clients. Albaraa wants to be a dentist, and working in EnviroCleanLCR is helping him become more confident talking to people and handling responsibility.
‘Window Cleaners in Residence’ is part of a new programme, called ‘Trade as Creative Practice’, with Queer Bike Kitchen founder Maria and Jen from Cowboyherr hairdressing. The idea came about as a result of Occupy, last summer, where Maria described how being creative is often an important part of making a business work – particularly being entrepreneurial.
“It’s interesting how many people – young people in particular – have thought Occupy is an ‘arts’ project, based on the messaging and Instagram,” says Emma. “I was interested in that crossover – what happens when we are more creative with ‘trade’? And how do we get more young people thinking they can also be included?
“There is focus on T-levels and apprenticeships nationally, thinking about how to give young people skills that are trades and how we bring back that kind of training, which has often been devalued. How can we break down the misunderstandings that exist between work that is physical or mental in origin and combine the two?” Emma asks.
Follow ideas.work_ on Instagram for more details.