Category: News

Farewell to Jan Palin, outgoing Head of Insight and Innovation

Throughout my time at the Movement, I have continued to ‘pinch’ myself every day working with a fabulous dynamic and driven team whose sole mission is to level the playing field for young people. Young people matter – we should never forget that!

From the outset I was determined to ensure young people were always considered. I was driven to ensure greater synergy with not just my own department but across the whole Civil Service. For my colleagues at the Movement, I was determined to share the fabulous work DWP does day in and day out; I arranged introductions, visits to Jobcentres and introduced new ways of working for our employer and partner networks.

I am so proud that the Movement is now linked with Youth Hubs across the country, helping to ensure we meet young people where they feel comfortable; taking our employers and partners into sites to support young people into employment.

 

This year we have introduced the Youth Voice programme, a first for the charity; comprising of face-to-face sessions where we spoke directly to young people, and a digital platform which helps to capture the voice of thousands of young people across the UK about their employment journeys. This initiative will enable the charity to capture real-time, UK-wide, data-driven insights from young people aged 16-30; helping us to understand the
needs of our young people more.

I was determined to prove to employers and partners what the benefits of engaging with the Movement are, so I worked in partnership with researchers at Oxford Insights and employers from both the public and private sectors to calculate and report on the direct impact of MtW programmes. We can now demonstrate the return on investment for our employers, showing KPI’s such as increased retention and the benefits of employing a more diverse workforce. Engaging with the Movement gives monetary return on investment demonstrating that #youngpeoplework! It makes sense.

Throughout my time at the Movement, I have continued to ‘pinch’ myself every day working with a fabulous dynamic and driven team whose sole mission is to level the playing field for young people. Young people matter – we should never forget that!

The absolute highlight for me was this year’s CEO Summit and Youth Employability Awards – where we celebrated our 10-year anniversary. For me – ‘it was like a wedding! Full of laughter, tears, and what a tremendous team achievement. To hear the heart-warming stories of the lives of young people; that’s what drives me.’

I have learnt so much working with such a small but mighty team, everyone’s passion and determination is infectious. Everyone at the Movement loves meeting and talking with young people – it is those young people who matter. We all love changing lives, and I want to thank each one on the team for their friendship and support.

Remembering Sir Ivan Menezes

We are incredibly saddened to hear of the passing of Diageo Chief Executive and Trustee of Movement to Work, Sir Ivan Menezes.

With his deep passion for equality and inclusivity, Sir Ivan was a great supporter of Movement to Work and our mission, including being a Trustee and the Chair from 2017 to 2020.  Despite all the other callings on his time, his commitment never wavered and he made a huge contribution to the Movement’s scale and impact. We are very grateful to Sir Ivan for his support and counsel over the years.

On behalf of all at Movement to Work, we send our deepest condolences to Sir Ivan’s family, friends and colleagues.

Celebrating ten years of Movement to Work: CEO Gillian Churchill shares her thoughts

A couple of weeks on from our annual CEO Summit and Youth Employability Awards, I’ve been reflecting on how amazing these events were and how important they are to the Movement and to our network.

Some of my top highlights include the open sharing of experiences – we heard from young people about their employment journeys and the barriers they have faced and overcome with the help of supportive employers, while also hearing from businesses about how they are innovating and adapting to support young people into work. 

We focused on some of the most pertinent issues which young people have told us they care most about – inclusive recruitment practices, how employers engage them as prospective employees and how businesses can best support their changing needs. We looked at some of the potential solutions and actions employers can take. 

We also shared a sneak peek of our forthcoming anniversary campaign content featuring some heroes from across the Movement – more on this soon!

The conversation and general buzz in the room throughout the day (not to mention the celebratory atmosphere during the awards!) really stood out for me. People wanted to listen, to share and to learn – with a healthy dose of fun too!

Hearing the amazing stories of our nominees and winners was also a standout moment – this was our opportunity to celebrate young people who are doing great things in their workplace, as well as some wonderful champions of young people. Huge congratulations again to our award winners and all our nominees! 

The events were made even more special as we used the occasion to kick off the charity’s tenth anniversary celebrations. As a Movement, we have helped deliver more than 155,000 opportunities for young people, working with hundreds of individuals and organisations to deliver remarkable experiences. Thank you to every business and partner who has joined us on the journey and helped us to reach this significant milestone. 

Between 2013 and 2020 we reached a major milestone of 100,000 opportunities delivered, and today we are already close to 200,000.  The pace of change is increasing, and this gives me so much hope and pride.

Because, simply, this means we’re helping even more young people to build their confidence, to develop key skills and provide them with quality work experience that will help to equip them for their future.

This really is vital, as there are many more young people out there who need our support; our work is as crucial as ever. 

A final thank you to our sponsors – without your support we couldn’t hold such high quality events – and to all those who attended, contributed and celebrated with us.  

  To read a summary of our panels and discussions, please see here. 

Take a look at some of the event highlights in the videos below – please share on your channels!

We’ve also got hundreds of fabulous pictures from the event – please reach out to the team to claim your photobooth moment!

 As always, let me know your thoughts and if you’re not a member of the Movement but would like to join, please get in touch.

 info@movementtowork.com

Connect with Gillian on LinkedIn

MtW Chair and Trustee Charles Woodburn appears on Ian King Live

London, UK

On Monday (17th April 2023), in the lead-up to Movement to Work (MtW)’s annual CEO Summit, the charity’s Chair and Trustee, Charles Woodburn, made an appearance on the Ian King show on Sky News.

During his appearance, Dr Woodburn discussed the work being done by the charity to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds in gaining meaningful employment. He highlighted the importance of providing training, work experience, and mentoring to help young people overcome barriers to employment and achieve their full potential.

He also discussed the challenges faced by the charity sector, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and emphasised the need for more businesses to sign up and provide new opportunities for young people.

You can watch the full interview here

Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future Podcast: Will social mobility deliver growth?

Featuring Movement to Work’s Ambassador Anastacia Jamfrey & BAE Systems

Former Downing Street adviser, Jimmy McLoughlin interviews top entrepreneurs about where they are creating jobs of the future. In this live on stage episode, recorded at the CBI Future of Work conference, Jimmy was joined by Ian Muldowney, COO of BAE Systems’ Air business, and Anastacia Jamfrey, a MtW ambassador and BAE Systems apprentice success story, now a Capability Portfolio Bid Manager / Senior Project Professional. 

Jimmy, Ian, and Anastacia delve into what social mobility means to them, why young people are struggling to access work, and how BAE Systems works to combat these through their programmes, emphasising  Movement to Work as a crucial facilitator in the design and delivery of these.

Highlights of the episode include Anastacia’s inspiring story; how she has risen through the company, acquiring professional qualifications, promotions, and leadership roles. It’s clear that the work of BAE Systems, in partnership with MtW, has helped many young people succeed, but crucially has resulted in a huge return on investment for the company. 

There’s also some exciting insight into the future of military aircraft, Tempest, and the use of drones!

To listen to the episode click here

 

Nominees for 2023 MtW Youth Employability Awards

We are absolutely delighted to announce the following nominees for the upcoming MtW Youth Employability Awards on 17th April! The level of nominations this year was exceptional and so my fellow judges and I really had our work cut out!

Huge congratulations to all these incredible nominees, you should all be so proud of yourselves!

2023 MtW Youth Employability Awards – Nominees
Employer of the Year 
  • BAE Systems
  • Department for Transport – Apprenticeship and Early Talent Team 
  • DWP 
  • HMRC – Debt Management Directorate 
  • M&S
  • Tesco 
Mentor of the Year
  • TJ Fielding –  DWP
  • Tom Stephenson –  Springboard UK
  • Liesel Quinn –  Catch22 
  • Anneli Daniels –  Participation People
Partner of the Year 
  • Ambitious About Autism / Clare Caccavone
  • Catch22
  • Springboard
  • DFN Project SEARCH – nominated by Marriott Hotels Ltd
  • Participation People
  • People Plus / Laura Savage
  • The Prince’s  Trust 
  • The Launch Group
  • West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) – Skills Team
Individual Impact Award
  • Laura Addison –  AWS
  • Sharon Braithwaite –  BAE Systems
  • Josie Edmead –  BT
  • Nicky Perkins –  DWP
  • TJ Fielding –  DWP
  • Heather Graham –  M&S
  • Kelly Baldwin –  The Body Shop
Breakthrough Star Award
  • Ellie McGuire –  Accenture
  • Vaibhavi Canacrai –  Accenture
  • Sam Fell –  BAE Systems
  • Josh Lewis –  BAE Systems
  • Eden Lunghy –  Catch22
  • Alfie Southernwood –  DWP
  • Samuel Shaw –  DWP
  • Bethany Illidge –  DWP
  • Michael Timson –  M&S
  • Aaron Fletcher –  M&S
  • Tilly Elliott –  M&S
  • Charlotte Harris –  M&S
  • Zamzam Farah –  M&S
  • Kamila Bukowska –  M&S
  • Khadijak Bibi –  M&S
  • Mamatha Kartha –  M&S
  • Kevin Lennon –  M&S
  • Max Jansson –  Springboard
  • David Bilsland –  Springboard
  • Edward Fox –  Tesco
  • Sam Miles –  Tesco
  • Kayleigh Fosker –  The Body Shop
  • Jamie McDonald –  The Prince’s Trust
Rising Star Award
  • Blessing Folorunso –  Accenture
  • Kierran Kelly –  Accenture
  • Syron Blackman –  Catch22 
  • Gavin Phipps –  DWP
  • Luna Cummings –  M&S
  • Charlotte O’regan –  M&S
  • Dlovan Karim –  M&S
  • Phoebe Bridge –  M&S
  • Chris Fox –  M&S
  • Anna Svietik –  M&S
  • Shula Jenkins –  M&S
  • Michael Vickery –  Marriott Hotels Ltd 
  • Funmilola – Funmi Sosanya –  The Prince’s Trust
  • Gary Graham –  Springboard
  • Ryan Smith –  Tesco
  • Matthias Allen Goll –  United Student Association For Education Inc
Innovator of the Year Award
  • AXA UK 
  • BAE Systems 
  • Vicky Morgan –  Carers Trust
  • London Digital Jobs Hub & Skills Hub – nominated by Generation UK
  • Presenter Crew –  nominated by Health Education England
  • HMRC 
  • Spirax Sarco Engineering
  • Sodexo 
  • Ted Blackwell – nominated by Springboard UK 
MtW Chair’s Legacy Award
    • Accenture
    • BAE Systems 
    • NHS
    • Kevin Jennings – Barclays, nominated by Catch22
    • Jamie Mcdonald –  M&S
Outstanding Achievement Award
  • Anastacia Jamfrey –  BAE Systems
  • Tajay Simpson –  M&S
  • Nathan Pearce –  M&S
  • Ruby Moon–  The Prince’s Trust

Big thank you to everyone who took the time to submit a nomination, it was a privilege to read your stories.

If you haven’t got a ticket yet, please reach out to the team at events@movementtowork.com and someone will try to help.

Looking forward to seeing many of you very soon!

 

Gillian Churchill
Gillian Churchill  CEO, Movement to Work

 

 

Featured

Movement to Work welcomes BAE Systems Chief Executive as new Chair

We are delighted to announce that Charles Woodburn, BAE Systems Chief Executive, has taken on the role of Chair of Movement to Work. Charles takes over from Olly Benzecry who has been Chair since 2020. Olly has recently been appointed as Chair of Shaw Trust and will remain a Trustee of Movement to Work.

On his appointment, Charles Woodburn, BAE Systems Chief Executive, said: “It’s vital for UK industry and for the future of our business that we invest in the next generation. It’s a privilege to serve an organisation doing such important work. All too often young people get trapped in a vicious cycle of ‘no experience, no job,’ which limits their career prospects.

“I’m passionate about providing high-quality work placements that give young people a route into long-term employment and help businesses access the talent we need to succeed. Through Movement to Work, I’ve seen first-hand the impact these opportunities can have on our communities and the company.”

Gillian Churchill, CEO of Movement to Work, said: “From all at Movement to Work, we would like to thank Olly for his leadership, counsel and support over the last three years and welcome Charles to the Chair position. We look forward to working together to continue to grow The Movement and deliver quality work placements and training opportunities to even more young people across the country.”

Movement to Work CEO Summit & Youth Employability Awards 2023

One day, two key events: For the last few years, the charity has hosted an annual summit inviting young people and leaders from across its network to discuss the most pressing youth employment issues and make plans for tackling them in the year ahead. 

CEO Summit Aims to engage and expand the network to help more #YoungPeopleWork and promote a fairer world

  1. Educate: our network on the current key issues regarding youth unemployment alongside gaining fresh insight from our attendees.
  2. Debate: what works and what doesn’t. Providing opportunities for authentic storytelling, sharing lived experiences direct from young people, and honest conversation peer-to-peer.
  3. Motivate: MtW employers to improve and expand their commitment and inspire new employers to join the Movement for the first time – seeing both the social need and business benefits. 
  4. Activate: focus not on problem-finding but on problem-solving so that attendees are clear on what commitments and actions to take forward.

MtW Youth Employability Awards is an opportunity to inspire as many people as possible, to celebrate our collective successes and the people and organisations that have really made a difference. 

  • Celebrate: the remarkable individuals and organisations across the network who have been particularly extraordinary. Whether you’re an employer, trainer, or charity – you have had a significant impact and we want to recognise your efforts! And if you’re a young person, you’ve bravely entered the workplace and your determination has been noticed! 
  • Demonstrate: the power of quality employability programmes in driving positive outcomes for young people trying to find work and for businesses looking to diversify their workforce and give back to their communities.

Generate: increased support and raised awareness for Movement to Work and our collaborative efforts to drive more support and the growth of the network

Movement to Work Youth Summit – Thursday 10th November 2022

To ensure that we continue to deliver high quality programmes and our work stays relevant to the lived experiences of young people, we need to include them in our decision making. Our annual Youth Summit is an important event to enable this, providing an opportunity for us and our employer network to hear first-hand the views of young people who have recently or are seeking employment.

This is an opportunity for us to collate insights from young people and use these to help shape the future of the Movement. We believe there is a place for work experience – particularly for those who are furthest from the job market – however the Youth Summit provides a platform for open and honest conversation with young people on what this should look like and how we can best support them to enter the workplace.

Latest ONS statistics (July 2022) show that youth unemployment has fallen on the previous quarter. Despite recent recovery, the number of workless young people (not in employment, full-time education or training) is 905,000 (increasing by 24,000 on the quarter), representing 13.3% of the youth population). With employers hiring at record levels but still struggling to fill their roles (there are now 1.0 unemployed people per vacancy), it’s imperative that we continue to do everything we can to help every young person fulfil their potential.

This event will bring together HR and youth outreach professionals from across the Movement to Work network (existing members and prospects), together with young people who are:

currently not in employment, training or education [how do we engage this group?]
currently job-seeking, in employability programmes, or have overcome barriers to work and are now in employment
recent graduates of a Movement to Work programme.

Aims and objectives

  • Provide a platform for young people to share their lived experiences in a safe and supportive environment
  • To collate insights from young people and:
    • Implement into the Movement to Work strategy
    • Share with key decision makers to drive responsive action
  • Offer business leaders an opportunity to listen to young people, understand their journey to work and encourage them to use these insights to drive best practice
  • To refresh and deepen Movement to Work’s understanding of what a quality job and career pathway means to young people today and the barriers that need to be addressed for more young people to enter the job market
  • Demonstrate the power of quality employability programmes in driving positives outcomes for young people trying to find work
  • Encourage more employers to join the Movement.

Please keep your eye out for more on our Youth Summit 2022

MtW CEO reflects: 2022 CEO Summit and Youth Employability Awards

Last month I had the pleasure of hosting the Movement’s annual CEO Summit and Youth Employability Awards. My first events since joining the organisation in February and the Movement’s first face-to-face Summit and Awards in two years!

The events brought together senior leaders from business, youth outreach organisations, charities, government and young people from across the country, to discuss the most significant issues relating to youth unemployment today and to celebrate the wonderful achievements of individuals and businesses across our network; none more so than our young people. The videos below give a sense of the electric energy and inspirational people in the room on the 28th March.

At a time when youth unemployment is nearly three times the national average, focusing on how we can better work together to tackle some of the most prominent challenges and barriers to work which young people are facing, has never been more of a priority.

We were honoured to hear from a number of young people who spoke openly about their experiences and career journeys, including the difficulties they have overcome to enter the workplace. They told us how the opportunities they have been given have helped to transform their lives, setting them up for long and successful employment; testament to the value youth employment programmes continue to provide to young people up and down the country.

The energy in the room really highlighted the commitment of our network to find solutions and ensure more young people have access to high quality job opportunities.  Some of the key points discussed include:

A lot of young people still don’t know where or how to look for jobs or support. How can we help them to find out about, access and navigate the various opportunities and programmes available to them? For example, how do we better connect to young people in local communities and what can we do to ensure outreach goes beyond the school environment?

We need to meet young people where they are. We need to focus recruitment activity on the needs of the young people being recruited, ensuring recruitment processes are inclusive and flexible.

Interviews for example are not always necessary for some roles, with people better demonstrating their suitability for a job during a trial period.

We also need to ensure youth employment programmes are always designed around the needs of young people. Identify the cross-sector and interpersonal skills needed by young people, in order to be set up for success and enabled to pivot where demand is; a focus on digital skills and sustainability will be key.

Hybrid programmes offer the best of both worlds.  As the country continues to open up post-lockdowns and we find ourselves navigating new ways of working, we shouldn’t forget the positives the shift to online working and learning has brought. For example, the democratisation of meetings and the opportunity to hire young people in more rural areas who may not have had the opportunity before.

We can and need to do more. Our young people need us now. There’s nothing more frustrating than seeing incredible youth talent wasted. Young people need work and employers need smart, creative young people.  We have a responsibility to our younger generation. Put simply, they are our future and by helping them into work, we are not only helping to create a fairer world but helping business and the country’s economic growth.

In order to drive change, we must continue to monitor the challenges and barriers to work and action solutions in a way that is sustainable for all but which also delivers at pace. This means keeping the conversation alive with businesses, young people and our partners. To help enable this, we’re delighted to be launching a series of regular roundtable events for our network members. More to follow on this soon.

A big thank you to all who attended our events; to our speakers, our panellists who shared their experiences and everyone who contributed to this important conversation. By coming together and discussing the actions we can collectively take to help more young people work, we can continue to make a difference to the lives of many more young people across the country. I look forward to continuing our work together to achieve this.

To our award winners and nominees, a huge well done again. You are proof of the incredible scale of the potential of young people everywhere and proof of what’s possible when our network comes together to support and nurture this talent. Keep going.

As ever, if you’d like more information or are thinking about joining the Movement, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of the team. We’re ready to support.

Gillian Churchill is CEO of Movement to Work. Connect with her on LinkedIn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch the videos below for highlights across the CEO Summit and Awards…

Hear from the amazing award winners!