Closing the Gap - Empower Care Leavers in London

What did you want to be when you were a child? A spy, firefighter… or maybe a doctor? And did you ‘realise’ your career ambitions?

Having worked with over 3000 young people over the past decade, our Employment Consultants have probably heard it all: from individuals striving to pursue traditional career paths in engineering, law or the fashion industry, to young people dreaming of one day becoming a pilot whilst studying accounting, as well as individuals set on achieving world fame as a professional cage fighter.

The goals and determination of the young people working with us truly have no limits and we’re eager to enable them to realise their full potential and pursue the careers of their own choice. Admittedly, our resources as a small charity are limited and we’re probably not the best place to support someone who wants to embark on a long-term career in professional sports. Nevertheless, we’ve built a network of over 25 business partners across London, all of whom are committed to the cause and dedicated to help individuals achieve their goals.

Our partners work across a vast variety of industries - from marketing and advertising, to hospitality, law, construction and engineering, financial services and creative design – and are therefore able to offer care-experienced individuals invaluable work experience and employment opportunities. Their belief in the potential of these young people enables them to offer insight into different sectors and career paths and allows the young people to gain the knowledge and experience needed to progress in their chosen careers.

As a longstanding Closing the Gap supporter, you are probably aware of the challenges a young person with a background in local authority care must face when moving into employment. And whilst our team are doing their best to support each individual in terms of building confidence and gaining the skills required to get the job, it is your continuous commitment and support that enables them to take up the opportunities that are in front of them and thrive.

Britney, for example, is 18 years old and living in a hostel in London. She only moved back to the city two years ago from Cambridge and is eager to progress, become independent and move into her own accommodation. Britney’s interests are varied, from song writing, to sports, from media to healthcare; but her ultimate goal is to own and run her own night club one day. Ambitious? Certainly. But not impossible!

So, what do you need to become a successful night club owner? A keen interest in business and administration, but also, some solid experience in the hospitality sector. Luckily for Britney, we’ve been working with the fantastic London Cocktail Club since the beginning of 2019. They hosted a hugely popular Aim Higher Day earlier this year which included a top-notch mixology course for participants. We didn’t need to convince Britney that the London Cocktail Club would be a great place for her to gain experience and take the first steps towards achieving her big dream. However, it wasn’t the lack of enthusiasm that almost hindered Britney from getting to the interview, but her lack of funds to afford the travel! This is where your generous support enabled her to get to the interview, impress our partners, complete a successful trial shift and nail the job! Furthermore, the Closing the Gap Fund enabled Britney to travel to and from work until receiving her first pay check at the end of the month without getting into dept.

We are looking forward to following Britney’s career and giving further support on her journey!

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