Held at Drayton Manor Resort, the first ever Supporting Care Leavers into Employment Recognition and Awards saw 15 accolades presented across six categories.
Employers, training providers, and community groups that have supported care leavers with inclusive opportunities over the past year were recognised at the event. The event was opened by Martin Murray, Deputy Leader of Staffordshire County Council and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills.
He said:
In Staffordshire we want to give everybody the opportunity to thrive and the people and businesses at this event are those that have supplied training, care, mentorship and placements for care leavers.
Our local businesses are doing something invaluable in enabling young people to get a foothold into work and hopefully a chosen career. They are also gaining from a fantastic local talent pool which brings value to their business and boosts their productivity. It’d be fantastic to see this event grow to twice the size it is today.
I would encourage companies across the county to find out more and get involved with the Supporting Care Leavers into Employment programme.”
The event, held on 13 November, included presentations on innovative programmes in the county, such as Pathways to Success and Own Your Future. It also recognised and celebrated the work of individuals and organisations that have supported care leavers into employment.
This year’s award winners were:
- Bronze Quality Mark - Time4Sport
- Silver Quality Mark - JG Fenns and The Stafford Arms
- Gold Quality Mark - 1 Step Beyond, Wedding Belles Love, Axia Solutions, BayNel, Converge, Cosy Direct, Liberty Jamboree and the Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Pathway Pioneer Award - Curlita Beauty, The Spark Group and Acacia Training
- Young Future Champions Award - Business Enterprise Support (BES)
- Commitment to Care Award - Reboot IT For All, Staffordshire Community Foundation, Shepherd PR and Free I.T. Stafford
- Above and Beyond Award - The Spark Group
Providing apprenticeships, work placements, mentoring, and job opportunities for young people leaving care helps build skills and improve diversity. It also shows a strong commitment to supporting the local community.
Staffordshire County Council offers an expert matching service to help businesses support care leavers into employment. It also provides the option to contribute to the Care Leavers’ Bursary Fund, which helps cover training and work-related costs.
