The 41st Growing Talent programme has been the most interesting and challenging so far!
Some got roles and are on the Orientation and Holistic week currently, others have been going for meetings with different managers to identify the right fit.
The waiting game.
We all know how tough it is, waiting to hear results on anything – but especially whether we’ve secured that job or not is painful!
Owolabi was, until yesterday afternoon, waiting to hear and wondering if his life was about to change.
Now he knows it is.
Stable employment and a regular income enable unemployed people to start taking back control of their life, make their own choices and close their own social mobility gap.
This is even more important for those with challenging back experiences. A permanent job really does change lives.
A huge thank you to Matthew Izekor of Southwark Care Leavers who referred Owolabi to Growing Talent and supported him throughout the process.
Also a massive thank you and nod of respect to Gina and the team CIS Security Limited for joining us in doing things differently.
If you are looking to gain some amazing talent with hidden skills that will add value to your business in London – why not join us?
Next programme starts September 2025. Contact me for details.
Peter realised he didn’t have enough money on his Oyster to use the train to travel into London, so he planned his journey, got up extra early to arrive as close as possible to the start time of Growing Talent‘s Orientation week.
Grace had an equally trying time having to juggle getting the children to school and then into Central London. Did she want any ‘special treatment’? hell no. She set her mind on doing Growing Talent following her husband’s experience on the last programme, no matter what.
So a morning of learning, discussing, sharing thoughts, views and opinions on effective communication, unconscious bias, what is neurodivergence, managing conflict, how to move on – internally and externally, we arrived at some case studies. Real life experiences of problems previous Growing Talent participants had experienced. What would Grace and Peter have done? the conversation flowed.
That’s the beauty of working together leading with respect, inclusion and without pre-judgement.
For the rest of the week, we move to training our minds – the holistic element of Growing Talent
Both Peter and Grace are joining CIS Security Limited Their ability to connect with people, observe the cues humans give and think calmly coupled with the intense security training and guidance CIS Security Limited will give them, they have a world full of opportunities about to open for them.
A big thank you to those behind the scene supporting Grace and Peter including
7 intrepid heroes returned today for Growing Talent‘s ‘Employer Slow Dating’ event – 1st stage selection.
💥 They didn’t hit the snooze button 💥 They didn’t decide to spend the day in the sun 💥 They didn’t decide benefits was a pretty sweet choice
Instead – they took action:
👍 They broke their routine, 👍 Got up earlier than usual to arrive on time 👍 Commuted into London during peak times – difficult for the neurospicy 👍 Arrived, well presented, prepared and ready to ask questions
Employers recruiting through Growing Talent gain access to a unique hidden talent pool often missed during a traditional recruitment process.
When you see the person, not their label you start to see the talent hidden within. Talent illustrated by our 7 heroes – Daphine, Grace, Owolabi, Peter, Sujibomi, Tanice and Zainiyah.
Now the waiting begins! Who will be offered an opportunity? Who will accept or decline?
We wait with bated breath.
Thanks to Gina, Peter and James our employers today.
It’s so easy to think ‘I’m not going to that networking event, jobs fair, job interview, conference etc – it won’t be interesting – will just be a waste of time’.
But what if this next event you are about to dismiss gives you:
✅ An opportunity to meet people you wouldn’t normally and gain new insight ✅ A connection to a manager who could make a difference to you, if not now maybe in the future ✅ The job interview reveals the role is quite different to your perception and just what you’ve been looking for ✅ The conference ignites one new idea you hadn’t thought of which can send you in a whole new exciting direction
I had a lovely email from Aurelien who attended the Growing Talent‘s Getting to Know you event for employers and applicants on Monday.
Even though he knew we don’t usually get the type of roles in the industry he seeks he still attended with an open mind, embraced and participated in every aspect.
Hi email, for me, showcases how we should never assume our perception of events is reality. So much can be gained just by attending – new connections, knowledge, confidence.
What events have you dismissed recently based on your perception of what they are going to be like?
Everyone can relate to the self-doubt and negative self- chatter unemployed people have when seeking a job. How can you showcase the skills and ability you know you have to employers when the loud voice in your head is screaming ‘you don’t belong here’?
This was the foundation of why I wrote Growing Talent and why it’s been successful for over ten years.
Growing Talent is designed to pull employers and applicants out of their respective comfort zones. Disrupt their expectations of the ‘norm’. No cvs, no formal interviews = no assumptions and the revelation of the most amazing talent languishing on the ranks of the unemployed. Talent that with a little empowerment could add so much value to business, their communities and themselves.
First thing is to make the employers feel a little uncomfortable – only fair, right? The panel picture above shows Adam in the spotlight from our sponsor’s sharing his journey to his current role and why the sponsors have supported Growing Talent for so long.
Then Mark from Baxter Storey shared his journey from a safari guide in South Africa to the work of HR in the UK – definitely not straightforward!
James was next from SPS UK & I, now a manager with a team to manage, James began his journey in a similar place to the applicants on a programme I ran then called the Real Apprentice. As an 18 year old, it was tough nailing timekeeping – but he did it…. eventually!!! Over the years James has recruited many of his team from Growing Talent who have gone on to establish great careers.
Megan shared her journey from education to the world of admin with CIS Security.
Lastly Gina shared how she joined CIS Security not really knowing anything about that world but with a hunger to learn she gained knowledge of all areas of the business and now runs a team nationally. Gina has recruited and encouraged a number of people from Growing Talent.
We then had a Q&A session with the employers before they left which we had a discussion on how tough it is to get a job when others make assumptions about our labels and worse still, we believe those assumptions.
Then came the part of the day that most applicants dread – the London Challenge. Working with strangers to devise an idea to benefit Londoners and then present it to the employers with less than an hour to prepare is pretty daunting. Of course it is. I don’t know many managers who would be willing to step up to the challenge.
Of course, the applicants nailed it! After delivering their presentations they have the proof they can do more than they think they can.
First to present was Aurelien and Sujibomi with their idea to tackle the cost of living crisis.
Sharon and Tanice followed with their idea to give young people some direction and positive role models with their Youth Clubs plan.
Daphine & Zaniyah shared their vision to tackle some of the Housing issues for tenants in Southwark. Why not get the contractors to teach the tenants how to look after their properties? Zaniyah spoke about the safety for tenants living amongst addicts. Why couldn’t a property be assigned for addicts to use safely? Unfortunately, I was holding their notes behind the judges so couldn’t take a snapshot of them in action!
Siddik and Owolabi’s idea was to enhance food banks. Owolabi volunteered in a food bank and realised some things were missing. Lots of restaurants and cafes locally threw a lot of food away. Why not open the food banks to take in this food? Why not devise simple recipe ideas for people to use donated ingredients? Owolabi didn’t hesitate to step up and deliver alone when Siddik became a little overwhelmed.
Finally, Peter and Grace shared their thoughts on Crime – particular knife and phone theft. Sharing some stats and ideas to combat both.
Throughout the presentations sitting at the back willing his team on from Southwark Care Leavers was Matthew – the guru of empathy and encouragement at SCL.
Next came ‘networking’ – doesn’t everyone hate that word? Sounds so difficult to do but change the word to ‘chatting’ and it becomes very doable!
Everyone ‘networked’ together for half an hour, laughing, smiling – where were the nerves now?????
Before we ended with a group shot of the employers, applicants, chief cheerleader from JobCentre Plus Anna and the guru himself Matthew.
So, who will choose to return for the first stage employer selection on 16 June? We wait with bated breath!
Wandering around the market on a warm, blue-sky day in Lanzarote, this bag jumped out at me.
The stallholders were a local father and son selling the leather goods they made themselves.
Bags and rucksacks of every size and colour, this green one stood out. The intricate pattern in contrasting red on the flap, two zips on the back and long adjustable strap – exactly what I needed for work back home. Few would have such a bag – bonus! I like to be different!
The father with his smiling toothless grin wrapped the bag and off I went pleased with my purchase.
Back in the hotel room a few hours later, I took the bag out of its wrapping. What was that smell? Subtle, yet pungent. I couldn’t find the culprit anywhere until I sniffed the bag – deeply and closely. Urgh – this was a difference I didn’t want!
After a search on Google, I discovered:
🫣 All sorts of hides can be used – including camel 🫣 All sorts of products can be used to tan the leather – including fish oil and urine! – who knew
Pungent smells can occur when inferior hides and tanning products are used as the leather breaks down. There is no cure.
The bag was left behind but clearly illustrates what you see on the surface isn’t always the whole story!
This is true of people too. Especially in the workplace.
People at all levels must deal with pressure and change continuously. This can weigh heavy on them and their colleagues.
What can be done? Give them the tools and knowledge they need:
💡 Raise awareness amongst managers – is what you are seeing the whole story? 💡 Roll out training for staff to proactively build their resilience and thrive. 💡 Provide coaching for neurodivergent team members to tame the impact on them.
I specialise in workplace programmes that enables teams to thrive. Including:
Neurodivergent coaching 1:1 – how to thrive in a neurotypical workplace (I am a certified ADHD Coach)
Awareness of neurodivergence for managers – what you might see, what you might do. Critical for true team inclusion and reduction of risk of an ET (CPD certified programme)
How to be an ally to your neurodivergent colleague – for non-managers (CPD certified programme)
I-Act Managing and Promoting Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing – global programme accredited by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in line with ISO45003. (I have been delivering this programme to global organisations for over four years)
Time to talk about the transformation I can deliver for your team?
Stepping outside their comfort zone to become who they want to be
Openness to learn
I see this every time I run Growing Talent and this week has been no different.
Alex, Jay and Troy have already jumped through a number of hoops most would be reluctant to do.
So far, they have:
Attended a ‘Getting to know you event” with employers – completely alien concept for them– getting to know employers BEFORE the recruitment stage? Yep. Not the usual application via cv, then the long wait to hear – more likely to just be ghosted, rarely securing an interview.
Devise and present an idea with strangers to benefit London to employers with just 45 minutes preparation.
Network with those same employers WITHOUT talking about jobs – seeing eachother as fellow humans.
Then composing a personal profile sheet before meeting all employers at our ‘slow dating’. Spending 20 minutes at each employer table – this time talking jobs on the stable connection already made.
Next came shortlisted 1-2-1 meetings on the employer site before offers were made and accepted.
Now Alex, Jay and Troy have just completed the in-person CPD certified part of the Orientation and Holistic week where all aspects of work and life skills were explored.
Tomorrow, we do the global I-Act course – managers level to give even more tools to hit the ground running when they join their new employers and teams on site soon.
What did they think of the experience?
“The topics covered opened my mind to how working environments are and how I can look after myself. I am more confident going on my employers site now”, Troy joining CIS-Security.
“Thanks for the opportunity of doing this week. I loved it!” Jay joining SPS UK & Ireland
“This week gave me a better feel about my new chapter of work.” Alex joining CIS Security
For more years than I care to count, I’ve mentored, coached, empowered and collaborated with awesome unemployed people, who at the time, couldn’t see just how awesome they were!
Devising programmes on a scale of intensity from hour long seminars to courses multiple weeks long, it’s nerve racking being in limbo waiting for the evaluations from participants.
Growing Talent had run for ten years when the fact there was no option for those unemployed participants who were not offered an opportunity to have a resource to grow further grew louder. So, I devised the Talent Hub.
Eight weeks long, delivered virtually over an hour each week covering a specific workplace or life skill each hour with a workbook and review plan as well as a CPD certificate on completion, it was a lot of work to move from idea to reality.
Would the transformation I wanted participants to receive happen?
Was the course and materials good enough?
Was I good enough?
There would be no answers until the leap of faith was taken.
Now the first CPD certified Talent Hub has completed, it’s clear from the evaluations the goals have been achieved.
If you have an idea, know this, you will never be ready.
The time will never be perfect.
Just do it. If it needs tweaking, you can do this afterwards – but you won’t know the tweaks you need to make until you do it!
Have you got an idea you are waiting for the perfect time to launch?
