The boss of a PR consultancy in north Derbyshire is embarking on a campaign to bridge the gap between mental health and creative employment after reaching her crowdfunding target.
Katherine Morley, who runs Insight PR and Media, is launching a media campaign called #WeGetThat to help creative professionals who struggle with the traditional nine-to-five work environment find employment opportunities.
The launch follows the completion of her NatWest Back Her Business Crowdfunder in which she raised £5,070.
As someone who has struggled with mental health issues, Katherine, from Eckington, said she has found her professional purpose through her PR work - and now wants to enable others to succeed in their career pursuits.
She said: “Because of my mental health problems I found it challenging to get a nine-to-five job.
“I have complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and can’t be around working with people I don’t know.
“I hit a rut shortly after finishing my journalism degree and depression set in and I wasn’t sure about what my future was.
“I know there are others like me who may have the skills to pursue their career ambitions, but because of their mental health issues, they may be held back.
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“I want to empower them and help them achieve their goals through #WeGetThat. I am looking for people that are in web design, PR, journalism, admin and social media management.”
Through #WeGetThat, Katherine will coach and develop prospects to build their confidence before helping them with placements.
She plans to provide regular mental health support for those she is working with. She also plans to work alongside charity organisations that have supported her along way.
Back Her Business has been developed in partnership with Crowdfunder and forms part of NatWest’s wider commitment to reduce the gender gap when it comes to entrepreneurship, by supporting the creation of a further 400,000 female-led businesses by 2025.
Since launching in 2019, it has helped 129 projects led by female entrepreneurs in the North of England. To date NatWest has pledged £135,400 to these campaigns.
Katherine said: “I started building the business in August 2019 and found out about Back Her Business which I thought was the perfect way to launch the campaign. I liked the idea that people could feel like they contribute to something they felt was worthy of the funding.”
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NatWest provided £2,500 in match funding to Katherine’s #WeGetThat campaign.
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Heather Waters, enterprise manager at NatWest, said: “A year on from the launch of the 海角视频’s first female-only crowdfunding platform, we are successfully supporting entrepreneurs like Katherine by providing them with industry-leading advice and mentorship.
“We have already helped a number of women in Derbyshire and the North of England drive forward their entrepreneurial ideas and business growth and we will continue to support entrepreneurs in the region and across the country going forward.”