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?
The theme for 2025 is ‘community’ and the impact on us. The workplace is a key ‘community’. Sometimes we’re there more than at home!
Something impactful workplaces can do anytime of the year is run neurodivergent awareness sessions.
Change assumptions into curiosity. Isolation into inclusion. Hidden into seen.
Want to know more?
City & Guilds 2025 Index shows 13% of employers involved in current Employment Tribunals are there because of a conflict with neurodivergence.
It’s easy for pressurised managers to assume symptoms seen are behaviours/attitude. It can also be costly!
Neurodivergent conditions are protected under Disability within the Equalities Act 2010. Compensation in this areas is uncapped with average payments around £45K.
It’s estimated 1:7 adults are neurodivergent – many won’t know it. Assessment in the UK can take 7+ years. Medication is often in short supply. Learning how their neurodivergence shows up enables them to learn how to tame it. This is key in the workplace to enable creativity and productivity to flow whilst smashing the risk of burnout.
Ensuring managers have awareness training to understand how to be curious and engage with all members of their team – is a cost effective ‘no brainer’. Isn’t it?
As is giving colleagues the tools and knowledge to be an ally.
As a certified ADHD Coach, I have devised CPD certified sessions for workplace managers and colleagues.
Are you interested to learn more for your workplace?Contact me for an exploratory chat
Some thoughts from managers who have completed the awareness session:
“I learnt more about the legal side and our legal obligations that I wasn’t aware of. I didn’t know it was classed as a disability.
I learnt more about the executive functioning and how that’s impacted and additional ideas about how to support someone with ADHD to make reasonable adjustments for them.”
“I thought it was really informative and contained a good level of information to increase the awareness for a manager in spotting and helping individuals with ADHD”
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
What I love about Growing Talent‘s ‘Getting to know you’ you events for employers and applicants is the level playing field it creates and the visible change I can see and know applicants feel by the end of the four hours.
Yesterday saw Adil, Alex, Adrian, Chris, Emmanuel, Gerald, Jay, Jayesh, Karen, Matt, Mercy, Ola and Troy walk into the room a little unsure about what lay ahead.
And who can blame them?
Growing Talent is different – no cvs, no formal job interviews – instead we build connection between applicants and employers BEFORE the recruitment stage.
My goodness, how their confidence rose as the morning went on.
It was only fair to put our awesome employers under pressure with a bit of public speaking first, sharing their journey, what went right – and wrong, how they dealt with that, what they currently do and top tips to impress any employer.
After a Q&A session, I rudely evicted the employers for the room to return an hour or so later.
The applicants and I had a discussion on why they personally aren’t working, what is missing for them and what they need most. You won’t be surprised to hear lack of self-confidence was a major theme and an area Growing Talent was designed to build.
The next pressure hit was how to improve London in our London Challenge?
The ideas flowed. These were whittled down to a combination of ideas that could work. In small groups, our awesome applicants had around 45minutes to come up with a plan. What was their idea, why was it needed, who would benefit and how could it be developed.
I don’t know many managers who would be up for this sort of challenge with so little time for prep – do you?
The employers returned to watch the London challenge ideas and give some feedback. Joining them was David #NGBailey
Confidence was rising. Not surprising when speaking about something we’re passionate about. If only all humans could passionately believe in themselves – they would be unstoppable!
After networking over refreshments with the employers, the applicants were left to decide if they would return for the next stage on 14 April.
Check back to find out who does!
Thanks to everyone behind the scenes who made this happen including the magician of getting stuff done Adrienne Simpson the awesome reception and security team (with Alex Portico and Tina CIS Security Limited – graduates of Growing Talent) greeting the new applicants with huge smiles of encouragement. 👏 👏 👏
Special shout out to Mark and the team at #NGBailey who always shift the room around for me 👏 👏 👏
Thanks also to our observers Adam Bushell, Simon and Becky 👏 👏 👏
Lastly to the #JobCentrePlus teams across London who now have to process fares etc – more paperwork! Thank you David Steeds for always having a plan! 👏 👏 👏
Monday 10th March will be Alex’s first day on site with his new employer Portico
Talk about whirlwind! This week Alex has worked through the three The CPD Certification Service certified manuals with content and tasks covering:
🎯 Employer expectations 🎯 How to stand out when you are one of many – ask Alex about the NYC taxi driver! 🎯 Effective communication at all levels
There’s more…..
🎯 The world of Unconscious Bias 🎯 Training our brain to be more resilient 🎯 What is neurodiversity? how might it show-up in the workplace? How to be an ally 🎯 Conflict identification, analysis and management 🎯 When the time comes, how to move on
And that was just book 1!!! Onto Book 2
🎯 The power of personal values and mantras 🎯 Understand how the ‘reptilian brain’ can cause issues and how to tame it 🎯 Proactive mind muscle building tools
Now to the body’s fuel…
🎯 Nutrition on a budget with simple hacks – just ask Alex about the connection between sugar and cocaine! 🎯 Personal finance tips and tricks 🎯 Impact of behaviour and how to build better connections
Are you exhausted yet reading this????
Lastly we had book 3 which is Growing Talent’s journal, art space and notes section!
Each day, Alex took note of his thoughts in the morning and reflected on the day each evening.
On Tuesday, Adam Bushell, #NikkiGallant and #BeckyShell dropped by to ask Alex about his experience. A confident, engaged speaker who enthused about his experience so far and his excitement of what lies ahead.
Adam Bushell took up the challenge to join us for some art! Kicking off with our ‘fill a heart’ task.
We often live life on auto pilot. Working hard, it’s easy to forget what really matters. A few minutes drawing the things we love within our respective hearts renews our focus on what is really important to us. It’s safe to say Picasso would have been impressed by our efforts!!!
In the feature photo, you can see Alex receiving his certificate of completion of the CPD accredited part of the Orientation Week.
After attending all the steps for our 39th Growing Talent programme, Katie arrived for the third stage – our Employer ‘slow dating’ event. Employers meet all the applicants they met previously in small groups to talk more deeply about their roles and opportunities to grow a career with them.
Josh from Portico invited Katie and Alex to the next stage – the 1-2-1 meetings. A positive result for both!
Katie joins Josh’s team today 24 February 2025 and Alex joins 10 March directly after the Orientation and Holistic week!
After the pressure of making the employers do a spot of public speaking and share their journey to their current role as well as their top tips to impress employers, it was only fair that the awesome Growing Talent applicants stepped up too!
London Challenge demands the applicants to come up with an idea to improve London.
Imagine this….
First part is to brainstorm ideas. Then, form a team with people you didn’t know two hours before, devise the beginning, middle and end of a unique idea within 45 minutes before presenting it t the panel of employers!
Would you do it?
The employers were treated to four unique ideas.
🎯 Group 1 – Leon, Niki, Katie & Bozena 🎯 Group 2 – Kai, Iuliia, Samuel, Anita & Alex 🎯 Group 3 – James, Aboidun & Mulenga 🎯 Group 4 – Shantelle, Dejanae & Sarah
Ideas ranges from community mental health and well being, creative hubs, food and nutrition – with a community greenhouse and intelligent use of public cctv to reduce response times!
All applicants chose to return 19 February for our ‘slow dating’ event – also known as the employer first stage selection!
Growing Talent is lucky to have strong collaboration ties with employers, #JobCentrePlus, community groups and the hidden talent of the unemployed people in London.
All share the common ground of enabling unemployed people to secure a job a different way, which they can grow into a career and close their own social mobility gap – permanently.
Over the 10 years it has run, multiple people have proven this and climbed their career ladders. Compared to where they started, the difference is as strong as that between night and day.
Confirmed employers for this round – our 39th programme – include:
There is still time to join these insightful employers if you have a role in London to fill.
But, the clock is ticking! ⏰
Deadline is 9am on 6 February. DM me for more information
A huge thank you to our insightful employers, #DavidSteeds team at #JobCentrePlus, Rob Matthews (Anna) their partners in the community, Matthew Izekor of #SouthwarkCareLeavers and our unemployed applicants who collaborate together to do things differently 👏 👏 👏
