Filsan did it – you can too!

Fantastic news just in from Filsan! She’s received the results of her SIA licence course last week – nailed it!!! (my words – Filsan is way too polite!)

Anyone in the security industry knows the waiting game and hurdles to complete before starting your journey in security. It’s tough right?

Filsan has shown amazing strength, tenacity and drive to complete @Growing_Talent and secure an opportunity from @CISSecurity.

An absolute role model on what can be achieved despite a challenging start to everyone standing in the same position Filsan started from.

What does the employer think who gave Filsan this opportunity?

“Supporting individuals into a career path they would of never thought of is one of the main reasons I love my job.

When I first met Filsan I knew she had the right attitude, determination and mindset for the security industry; CIS Security Limited was then able to provide support with her SIA licence and a job opportunity.

We look forward to seeing Filsan flourish within her career at CIS Security and the security industry!

Thank you Jane James for your continued support with Growing Talent and we look forward to our partnership growing further and many more success stories with this amazing initiative.” Gina, Talent Resourcing Manager

hashtag#cissecurity hashtag#newjob hashtag#security hashtag#recruitment hashtag#SIA

Our thanks to everyone who supported Filsan along the way including Matthew and the team at Southwark Care leavers who said:

“Morning Jane,

This is great news.

Thank you and well done for the patience and excellent programme you have in place for our care leavers.

This is a true testament of your commitment to making a difference in their career journey.

I look forward to having more of our care leavers share the same story next year as Filsan.

Wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy new year, 2025,”

Matthew Izekor | Employment and 18+ Careers  Adviser

If you are in London and seeking a job a different way – why not check Growing Talent out?  Next programme opens 27 January 2025.

Doing it differently……

Times are challenging for both employers seeking new talent to fit their business and unemployed people looking for a role they can grow into a career and close their own social mobility gap.

The introduction of higher employers NI means careful consideration of who to employ and when.

For those looking to secure employment will there be less roles to apply for?

Will there still be a need to supply a cv? – difficult with gaps caused by life’s curve balls.

Will they get a response rather than a profound silence to their applications?

If they get an interview – how are they going to overcome their lack of confidence to showcase their hidden talent and potential?

For over 10 years, Growing Talent has been enabling and empowering both sides to break through those challenges.

Mark, on the current Growing Talent, shares his experience so far in the photo shown.

We ripped up the traditional recruitment ‘rule book’. No cv. No formal job interview. No assumptions.

Growing Talent puts employers and those seeking work on a level, ‘uncomfortable’ playing field.

At our in-person getting to know you event, employers have to stand and deliver a talk on their own journey to their role (no notes), give a clear insight into their company and role they are recruiting for. Whilst they go for a refreshment break, everyone else is put into small groups to devise an idea to improve London. Would you be able to do this after just 1 hour working with people you had not met before? The employers return and listen to the innovative ideas before networking together over juice and nibbles.

Each gets to know the other much more confidently than a cv or formal job interview would ever deliver. This makes the recruitment stage experience (slow dating and 1-2-1s) more fun and raises the confidence of all.

Sponsored by business (thanks Allen and Adam), there is no risk of ‘double funding’ enabling charities and community partners to collaborate with us without risk to their funding.

JobCentre Plus, led by David Steeds Rob Matthews (Anna) and their team across London support their customers on their Growing Talent journey.

We know Growing Talent works. We can prove it works.

Are you in?

Next programme opens mid-January 2025.

Allen Salmon

Adam Bushell

Growing Talent

SPS

David Steeds

Rob Matthews (Anna)

A thought on coaching…….

What I love about coaching others – whether its:

🎯 unemployed people into sustainable employment
🎯 workplace teams to be more cohesive
🎯 1:1 ADHD coaching to work with, rather than against, unique brains

– is the collaboration with everyone, sharing knowledge to empower each other. Whilst others learn from me, I also learn from them.

Even more breathtaking to me is receiving a comment from someone I’m in awe of. Leanne Maskell the trailblazing activist for neurodivergence and founder of ADHD Works – who trained me to be one of their certified ADHD Coaches:

“Thank you for sharing this Jane – so grateful to have people like you in the world!”

What was the post I wrote that drew this comment?

It focussed on someone I’m currently delivering 1:1 ADHD Coaching to in line with their preference of using text and voice notes.

Throughout my entire career coaching close to 1,000 people into work through commercial recruitment, unique employment programmes like the Real Apprentice and currently Growing Talent, the hundreds of workplace personnel I’ve trained in proactive mind health i-act (for positive mental health and wellbeing) training. Mental Health Training and the courageous people learning to understand and tame their neurodivergence, the following three traits have been front and centre of everything I do:

🎯 lead with kindness and empathy
🎯 meet people where they are – everyone is unique, the way they are coached should be too
🎯 empower people to grow in confidence and become independent of me

What has been front and centre of your style working with others?

Masks – some are more painful than others…

I’m not talking about the masks worn during Covid. I am talking about the mask neurodivergent people put on to try to ‘fit’ in.  Working with your unique brain rather than against it, is where the start of being you begins.

Does this sound familiar?

  • Know what you have to do, but just can’t get started?
  • Can’t get anywhere on time?
  • Constantly forget to take your keys, lunch, chargers, cards etc when you leave for work?
  • Forget instructions shortly after your manager has said them to you?
  • Find your brain works on impulse? Whilst colleagues are working on a project, your brain has multiple ideas its chasing down?
  • Ruminate the small stuff – what is the right way to sign-off an e-mail?

Does any/all resonate with you?  

Maybe you have your assessment but don’t know what to do with it?

Or maybe you are one of the thousands of people waiting for assessment.

You don’t have to wait to get help. You don’t need an assessment. 1:1 Coaching will help you explore how your brain shows-up at work, how it impacts you and how you can tame it.  

If you are working, speak to your employer to see if they will fund Coaching for you as part of their reasonable adjustments. Alternatively, you can apply for a Government grant from Access to Work in the UK or fund the Coaching yourself.

It’s important you ‘connect’ with a neurodivergent Coach to build the trust and confidence for the journey ahead.  All coaches offer a free exploratory session to see if you both ‘connect’.  

Consider a certified Coach trained in the Executive Functioning framework. We are skilled in helping you identify the areas of executive functioning that impact you and exploring tools to help you tame it. 

Sessions will be flexible to suit you – virtual, in person, weekly – more/less frequent, up to an hour each session usually for 12 weeks.  Don’t let your perceptions talk you out of getting the coaching you deserve.

Coaching is very different to Counselling or Therapy. It’s designed to move you to a place you can thrive and no longer need a Coach.

Is it now time to start the journey to take off your mask?

Traditional or Innovation? What would you choose?

CIS-Security, ISS, NG Bailey, Portico,  SPS UK & Ireland, choose innovation to discover new talent for their businesses.


After a couple of inspiring weeks during which we held a getting to know each other event, London Challenge –  ideas  to make London better, employer spotlights – insight into recruiting businesses and managers, networking over bags of nibbles, and finally1-2-1 meetings – the results are in!

We welcome Antoinette, Filsan, Mark & Yohana to start the next stage in their Growing Talent journey –  the Orientation and Holistic week! Starting Monday, we will explore workplace and life skills, effective communication, making better connections, the power of EI, understand and manage unconscious bias, even an art class!,  before finishing with a qualification in the global pro active i-act (for positive mental health and wellbeing) training. Mental Health Training course aligned with ISO45003.

Check back to see how this awesome quartet gets on.

Meanwhile, over in our innovative new Talent Hub, some awesome talent who didn’t make it past the selection stage – before any judgement, some employer offers were made and declined – will collaborate and explore their journey into work, empowering themselves and learning tools to build their resilience with weekly virtual workshops starting 4.11.24 for eight weeks.

So, in 2025 – will you choose traditional or innovative to secure your new talent?

CIS Security Limited
ISS A/S
SPS UK & Ireland
hashtag#NGBailey
Portico

Thanks to our applicant referring organisations who also jumped into innovation to help their awesomely talented, but currently unemployed people including:

David Steeds
Rob Matthews (Anna)
Matthew Izekor
Southwark Council – Care Leavers

Birmingham City Centre – opportunity could be knocking for you….

Times are tough.

For employers, time is money.  Spending their time wisely can gain them financial added value in the future.

For the unemployed time spent looking for a job they can grow into a career, can weigh heavy on them.  The longer they are unemployed, the more invisible they can feel.

Growing Talent is coming to Birmingham City Centre in February.

What does that mean for employers and the unemployed?

Our 10 year track record of success, tells me the difference Growing Talent can make to the businesses and people of Birmingham can be mind blowing!

Let’s take a closer look at some key highlights:

Funded by private business.  We are not dependent on Government, local authority, JobCentre Plus nor charity funding.  Which means when those entities are under financial pressure, Growing Talent is not! In addition, we can collaborate without any organisation  we are working with feel they are at risk of  ‘ double funding’.

Disrupted traditional recruitment tools.  How can you showcase your skills, ability and future potential to an employer when your self-esteem is through the floor because you are unemployed? That is of course if your cv/application form gets you an interview. 

Equally, how much hidden talent are employers missing because they can’t see the hidden talent within? Either from a cv their sifting software has missed because key ‘buzz’ words were missing or because the person sitting in front of them was overwhelmed with imposter syndrome they could hardly speak?    Therefore, we’ve banned resumes and formal interviews.  Instead, we have speed dating and 1-2-1 chats.

Mentoring – How often do employers get a mentor for the journey their new recruit is with them? I don’t just mean the initial period of onboarding where a portion of any recruitment fee paid can be refunded. I mean for the months and years that employer wants to keep their mentor connection. At no cost of course.

Equally, how often does the unemployed applicant get a free mentor to guide and encourage them through the process of Growing Talent and beyond if they are selected for an opportunity by an employer? We have mentored people long after they have secured their role and developed their careers.

Unique collaboration – from day one, we have collaborated with diverse organisations giving their local communities access to opportunities they wouldn’t usually have gained in a traditional recruitment route.  Resources and expertise are shared so that no one feels alone. JobCentre Plus has been a steadfast collaborator of Growing Talent since day 1.

Higher retention – our robust orientation and holistic week ensures new talent already feel empowered and have a sense of belonging with their new employer before they step on site. This gives a solid foundation for the employer/employee relationship to grow. 

Confident, risk free – what’s not to like?  Our unique collaboration enables both employers and new talent to know the match is right for them before formal hiring.  There is no financial hardship for the new talent who retain their benefits, has their travel paid by JobCentre Plus, gains life and workplace skills as well as an accredited qualification in mind health in line with ISO45003 and is paid by the employer for the in-role mutual evaluation period of the ring-fenced permanent job on offer.

So, really, what is not to like?  Applicants are over 18 (no upper age limit), have right to work documents or Government issued share code in place and are able to undertake a permanent role.  

Participation is neither automatic nor mandatory,  But if the match is right, what magic can be made!

Deadlines:

 Employers, register your interest by 15 February.

Unemployed applicants able to travel to Birmingham City Centre – register your interest by 21 February 2024.

What do you think?

Now this might see an odd post for this platform, but stay with me. I’m not just talking about bins!

I’ve just dropped someone at our local station and was amazed at the amount of people in all types of housing locally – affluent and affordable – who put their bins, paper recycling and food waste out ready for collection last night.

They did this knowing there were powerful storm winds around and, in our area, collections don’t start until late morning.

Result of this behaviour, drivers had to dodge various bins and debris across the road.

An accident will likely happen as drivers try to avoid these hazards. In addition – who is going to pick-up the litter/food waste that’s blown around?

It got me thinking if this was general thoughtlessness or just don’t care attitude?

What’s the result when these behaviours reach the workplace?

Acting without thinking of the potential consequences can impact others negatively leading to friction/conflict.

If it’s a ‘just don’t care attitude’ how would you feel if others mirrored your behaviour to you?

What do you think?

Are we becoming more thoughtless or just don’t care?

Growing Talent Arrives in Birmingham!

Currently unemployed?
Live in Birmingham?
Able to get to the City Centre?
Over 18 ? (no upper age limit)
Have Right to Work documents in place or Government share code?
Want to secure a role where your employer will invest in your training and development?
Looking for a job you can grow into a career?

Why not consider applying to Growing Talent?

We are coming to Birmingham City Centre for our information and application event on 26 February 2024.

If you are interested in attending, send an email to jane@thejjc.net stating the area of Birmingham you live and the JobCentre Plus office you come under.

Alternatively, you can speak with your JobCentre/Work Coach direct.

Growing Talent is not a Government programme. You cannot be mandated to take part nor are you automatically given an opportunity.

A business funded initiative, Growing Talent brings together insightful employers, JobCentre Plus, West Midland Combined Authority, community partners and you – currently unemployed talent.

Deadline to register your interest to participate is 21 February 2024.

http://www.growing-talent.co.uk

More employers!

Our collaboration with @JobCentrePlus and @WMCA in #Birmingham is growing!

@BaxterStorey and @Portico have confirmed attending @Growing_Talent’s Employer Speed Dating event at the end of February joining @PilgrimsRiskManagementGroup and @Pertemps.

If you are an employer in Birmingham and want to recruit a unique way, why not join us?

Get in touch to find out more!