Vintage for a Cause

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Vintage for a Cause

Porto, PortugalPorto, Portugal
Year Founded:
2013
Organization type: 
nonprofit/ngo/citizen sector
Project Stage:
Growth
Budget: 
$50,000 - $100,000
Website:
http://www.vintageforacause.pt
Facebook: 
https://pt-pt.facebook.com/VintageforaCause
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Project Summary
Elevator Pitch

Concise Summary: Help us pitch this solution! Provide an explanation within 3-4 short sentences.

A sewing club for women over 50 without an active live and no participative role in society, where they transform old clothes, donated by them or others, with help of known fashion designers and fashion students, in original , exclusive and vintage styles clothes.
This is the pretext to make big changes in their lifes. And this new clothes are to sell in order to sustain the operations.
This is more than an ocupation! This is the step to gain an new role in society!

WHAT IF - Inspiration: Write one sentence that describes a way that your project dares to ask, "WHAT IF?"

what if elder peolple never lose the hability to start new projets, despite their age an condition?
About Project

Problem: What problem is this project trying to address?

The lost of a professional and a vital familiy role tend to be the reason so may women start living in an auto-isolation, that tend to be the main reason for mental and social hilness and depression. Therefore, the problem the project wants to solve is the social isolation of this public.

Solution: What is the proposed solution? Please be specific!

To create a simple ocupation, twice a week, during 3 hours, that lead to a new routine, creates new social bonds/networking and a social support, and also permits self-improvement and, by te acquisition of new knowledge of sewing tecniques and skills. They get a new perspective of themselves, as capable of doing new things and also self-esteem and confidence.
About You
About You
First Name

Helena

Last Name

Silva

About Your Project
Organization Name
How long has your organization been operating?

Please select

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Project
Organization Country

, Porto

Country where this project is creating social impact

, Porto

Funding: How is your project financial supported?

Supplemental
Awards: What awards or honors has the project received?

The project has been select as finaliste in several portuguese social business chalenges, such as:
- Oliva Rewind Award ( textile and creative industries chalenge)
- BES Realize o seu Sonho/INOV Portugal
The project has been elected as winner at EDP Solidária 2013, a chalenge powered by EDP Foundation( the main portuguese energy entrerprise)

Where have you learnt about the competition?

Probably it was nominated, because I received an email informing the terms of the competition.

Tell us about your partnerships:

Stategic partnerships
- EDP Foundation - main sponsor;
- Porto City Council- as landlord with a low cost rent;
- IES- Social Business School - mentoring
- CIS Porto - Social Inovation Centre of Porto - connections to the council and other partners
Creative partnerships
- Katty Xiomara, André Gandra, Lia Oliveira, Carolina Veloso - portuguese fashion designers that are volunteers and guide the workshops

Challenges: What challenges might hinder the success of your project and how do you plan to overcome them?

The main challenge is to get a high quality product with women that are not professional sewers. To overcome this challenge I have contacted a fashion school and textile industrie association to improve the technical formation and support.
The other challenge is to insure that the women are allways motivated or even to define wich is the adequate time to participate in to the project. To overcome this challenge we do several compensation activities and to include them in the decisions.