Five free initiatives to get jobseekers back to work
AT this time of year, jobseekers can face a difficult task securing their next role as the nation winds down for Christmas.
And this year there is the added burden of the country still recovering from the Covid hit, with employment and economic activity remaining well below pre-pandemic levels.
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YOUTH FUTURES FOUNDATION
THE not-for-profit organisation was established in 2019 to improve employment outcomes for young people from marginalised backgrounds.
This year the foundation’s projects have included working on inclusion for young Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people.
Find out more at .
20/20 CHANGE
FORMER gang member Duro Oye set up 20/20 Change to close the education and employment gap for young black people.
The organisation provides training and support to equip youngsters with the tools they need to flourish in their chosen profession.
Discover more at .
THE PRINCE’S TRUST and BOOTS
EACH year, The Prince’s Trust helps unemployed young people find temporary roles over the busy festive season to build employability skills.
Some of this year’s trainees have already been offered permanent work.
Boots is also donating ten per cent of the profit from sales of wrapping paper and Christmas cards plus all the money raised throughout the year through the sale of paper carrier bags to The Prince’s Trust.
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KFC HATCH VACANCIES
By 2030, a third of all new hires into KFC will be young people who have faced barriers to employment.
To kick off the pledge, the chicken chain has partnered with youth charity UK Youth to help 6,000 people build their work skills, confidence and get their first job through new employability programme “Hatch”.
Meghan Farren, General Manager at KFC UK&I, said: “If we’re to tackle the labour shortage and provide better jobs and economic growth across the country for the next generation, then we urgently need to help young people who have been excluded from education and training opportunities to find their feet in the workplace.”
Liam Cregan, 17, from Manchester, recently graduated from the programme.
He said: “In previous jobs I was constantly worried about doing something wrong, which led to so much self-doubt that really held me back.
“Hatch gave me structure and a positive environment which has helped me build resilience and enjoy my job.”
Trust is key for in crowd
THIS year more than six million people work fully or partly from home.
While most employees feel they are more productive working from home, many managers worry they are not.
- Communicate – You’re boss is fretting because they can’t see you. Reassure your boss about what you are achieving by letting them know what you’re doing. Don’t leave your boss in the dark.
- Everyday actions – Work out what the small, everyday actions are that you can take to shift towards your team’s big goals. Focus on them and avoid distractions.
- Results – The way we work has changed. It’s not as much about time spent on the job. It’s now much more about the results we deliver.
- Trust – At the centre of “productivity paranoia” is a lack of trust often caused by poor leaders. You have to build trust with your boss.
- Exit – Power has shifted in the employee/employer relationship. If your morale has hit rock bottom because of a paranoid boss then you could resign. Find a boss who DOES trust and inspire you.
Jobspot
JOB board CHARITY JOBS has more than 2,000 roles at all levels plus volunteering opportunities.
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Blasting burnout
WITH four in five workers feeling “burned out” in the past year, companies are being challenged to commit five per cent of working hours to improving mental health.
The pledge from global health firm Cigna aims to inspire leaders to break the stigma of poor mental health “from the top”.
Jobspot
ELECTRICAL goods supply firm NIGLON is seeking new sales staff and you don’t need experience.
Email a 90-second video on why you’d be an asset to the firm to hr@niglon.co.uk.
Take the flex step
MEET your perfect work match with new flexible working site WorkYourWay.
Developed by influencer Anna Whitehouse, aka Mother Pukka, the platform has been dubbed “Tinder for Flex” and matches up jobseekers looking for more control over their working environments with flexible roles across the globe.
Studies show that nine in ten Brits are open to working flexibly but only one in four jobs advertise it as an option.
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Campaigner Anna, founder of the Flex Appeal campaign, said: “Flexible working isn’t just for mums or dads. It’s for everyone.”