Halloween not only saw trick or treaters out and about, it also saw the 35th Growing Talent Employer Speed Dating event take place in London.
This time, Tia was on the employer team with her colleagues at Pilgrims Risk Management Group! Parry who was a previous Growing Talent programme with Tia, popped in to say hello and catch up.
#Amazing!
What an awesome Employer Speed Dating event – 1st stage selection on Growing Talent today.
Hosted by our funders close to London Bridge we had five amazing employer teams and over 30 hugely talented, but currently unemployed people looking for their next opportunity.
The road to new opportunities has started.
What will be the outcome? Watch this space!
Huge thanks to the applicants who overcome their nerves to come along today – lots of laughter in the room indicates the experience wasn’t as bad as first expected!
Initial thoughts from one of these amazing people:
“I wanted to express my gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the dynamic recruitment session and networking event. It was truly an enriching experience, and I’m thankful for the chance to engage with such a talented group of individuals.
I thoroughly enjoyed the session and the chance to network with professionals in different fields. It was not only informative but also inspiring. I am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.
Thank you for your support and for making this event possible. I look forward to the future and the potential it holds.
If you ever need an assistant in your workshop count me in. 😊”
Isn’t that awesome?
Massive thanks to our awesome employer teams this time around:
Master-Fix Properties – Martin
Pilgrims Risk Management – Lasse, Tia & James
SPS UK & Ireland – Lois & Bob
Pertemps – Sharaz & Jamie
Honeywell – Lauren & Andra
Amongst the employers attending @Growing_Talent’s 35th Employer Speed Dating event on 31.10.23 will be Haj joining her colleagues from @Pertemps and Tia joining her colleagues from @PilgrimsRiskManagementGroup.
Both joined their employers via the Growing Talent programme, now they are involved in giving others the opportunity they had.
How awesome is that?
What a wait it’s been for Kerry – but her tenacity has paid off!
Now she’s completed her SIA licence she’s ready to join her peers @Growing_Talent – Tia and Chyna on site with @Pilgrims
A huge thank you to Lasse, Tam & team for working their magic!
Over the years I have worked with diverse people from all backgrounds. Treating people with kindness, respect and honesty has crossed all barriers.
However, I felt I wasn’t always connecting with people with neurodiversity as well as I could. Asking someone “what support do you need at work” isn’t useful when people honestly don’t know what would work for them.
I stumbled across a post on Linkedin from Leanne Maskell and had a ‘lightbulb’ moment. Her struggles through education and into work, with friends and social situations rang true for me looking back at some of the awesome people from this area who I’d worked with on both the Real Apprentice and Growing Talent.
Leanne’s experience of not only how difficult it was for her to ‘fit in’ but also for those around her to support her led to her forming ADHD Works and set about training employers and neurodiverse people to learn what’s really going on for them.
One of Leanne’s quotes on the course stood out to me – and I will be using it all the time going forward! – is ” if a flower isn’t flourishing, you change the environment not the flower” how true.
I know I will be able to work better with neurodiverse people on Growing Talent using the tools I learned with ADHD Works to ensure they have a smoother journey.
It’s shocking to discover it takes on average 7 years to secure an NHS assessment for ADHD meaning many children/young people going through the process of assessment won’t get a result until they are adults. The angst this will cause them, those around them and their employers will be stark and potentially impact mental health and wellbeing levels.
Questions on ADHD are being asked more and more in @I-Act training sessions I deliver. Out of all the mental health and wellbeing licenced products I’ve delivered over the years, @I-Act is the only one that touches on issues which might affect someone’s mental health and wellbeing but not be a mental health issues in themselves. This section includes ADHD. I’ll now be able to deliver this course more knowledgeably too from now on.
Everyone should do the ADHD Champion online course from @ADHDWorks – it really is priceless for inclusion and belonging.
When I posted the year’s London schedule for Growing Talent programmes on http://www.growing-talent.co.uk and here we are on the run up to the final programme of the year!!!
What employer will take part n the final round? What participants? Who knows? #exciting times
It’s really important for employers to select a training programme that will deliver the results they want, which fits their business and people.
All too often I speak with businesses who select based on title and popularity without ensuring the content is right for them. “It’s a First Aider programme in Mental Health so it must be good”.
But is it right for every workplace?
In my view, having delivered a popular Mental Health First Aider programme for over 10 years, the answer is no.
There is no ‘one size fits all’, which is why it’s critical to select the training for your business based on the content and impact that will be delivered to your people.
I stopped delivering this course three years ago because there were a number of areas I wasn’t happy with. Having read Stephen Bevan’s (Institute of Employment Studies) concerns – back in 2019 and again last month and the latest Cochrane review – its clear content should be a deciding factor not a course name.
Over the past three years it’s been insightful delivering the Practitioner and Manager levels of @I-act globally in diverse workplaces and seeing the knowledge and confidence gained in delegates.
Yesterday saw another course delivered to a global corporate’s #OneTeam and what a collaborative journey of learning it was.
Now they have the knowledge and tools to make a real difference to themselves and those around them.
Contact me direct if you want to know how this training could benefit your business.
The Growing Talent journey book has grown over the years. Standing at 100 pages it was bursting at the seams – literally with some Growing Talent Associates having to get the tape out! Not a great look.
Reviewing the information, task sheets and audit trail, there was nothing that could be left out. In fact there was more information to add!
So, what was the solution? James, London Operations Print and Design Manager at our funder’s London HQ had the solution. Split the manual into three parts. Not only would the manuals be easier and sturdier when binding – they’d be light to carry individually too – and I could add more information!!!
Within 48 hours, James had the drafts printed and couriered to me enabling me to proof read well in advance of the next Growing Talent programme.
Fantastic work James and Team – thank you!
The following are Parry’s thoughts on his first week @BreyerGroup last week. Parry is on the left in the feature photo below.
I was intrigued to learn what the first week held for Parry….
Speaking on Bank Holiday Monday, Parry was in the middle of a declutter spree ahead of going to his local shoreline to get some head space time.
It was a bit of a shock for Parry based in Wandsworth to be at Breyer Group’s induction at Dartford – starting 8am! – He made it there at 7.30am!
The next two days Parry shadowed James a Multi-Skilled Operative with Breyer before joining Jose, another Multi Skilled Operative based in Wandsworth. Parry is enthused by the variety of tasks – electrical, carpentry, plumbing and electrics coupled with working with diverse members of Breyer’s team – every day is different.
Collaborating with referring, funded organisations to explore options for Parry to secure his own electrical toolkit is currently underway.
Who knew power tools are regarded in the same way as chef’s knives – i.e. every professional has their own set which NO ONE ELSE BORROWS!!?
Check back to see what the following weeks hold for Parry……
Working with the awesome Growing Talent Associates over the years, I consistently encounter their self-doubt – whatever their age, culture, background!
The sassiest voice in the room is often trembling inside.
Every now and then an inspiring example emerges of pushing through the fear of self-doubt.
What legends Zovita & Liz are! Not only still playing tennis as they approach 90 – but playing competitive tennis!
Liz didn’t let a quadruple heart bypass eight years ago stop her achieving her dreams.
So, from this day forth, give any negative voice in your head a firm ‘slap’ and push forward with your dreams. As Will Smith (Actor) said “success lies on the other side of fear”
Respect to all Growing Talent Associates this week as they enter the next stage with their respective employers – you’ve got this #yesyoucan