Penna is proud to be one of the signatories to the new Care Leavers’ Employer Friendly Charter, the launch of which took place on Thursday, 28 October 2021. Julie Towers, our Managing Director and member of the CLC Business Council, chaired by Sir Peter Bazalgette, spoke about her commitment to the principles of the charter and her hope for a better future for care leavers;
“In my humble opinion, there should be no reason why any employer wouldn’t want to be a signatory, and I hope through listening to our Business Council and other employers that we have made it very easy for them to do just that”.
She stressed the need for attracting great talent, given the demand for a diverse and digitally-minded pool of young people.
“Not only is signing up the absolute right thing to do from a corporate parent and corporate social responsibility perspective to help these young people make their way into the world of work, but also because our economy, our skills and our future rely on attracting and developing the very best diverse talent.”
Why it’s important for businesses:
Julie claimed that there is immediate and organisational benefit from supporting care leavers, and so they need our support to find their way into careers.
“It is our duty and in our interest as employers, and particularly for the recruitment industry to play their part in supporting care leavers through being a signatory, supporting them on their journey and helping them gain the insights, skills and networks that they do not have access to.”
She then made a plea to employers and recruiters on how they need to be responsible for tapping into the potential of this young group of people and ensuring the success of their organisations:
“Work ethics and worklessness in my experience are learned behaviours – employers should set a great example, and provide an early and smooth journey into work, we will all then benefit from this bright, ambitious, enthusiastic and diverse talent, we’ll be changing their lives and our organisations for the better.”
How does my organisation sign up?
For Julie, signing the charter is easy and adds value to all employers:
“The CLC will be a signal and a symbol to help demonstrate that you want to help young people get into employment and you welcome them to your organisation. Who wouldn’t want to sign up to that?”
Julie’s call to action was supported by David Rutley, the Minister of Welfare Delivery, and British television executive and Chair of the Business Board, Peter Bazalgette, who stated, “organisations committed to delivering value to society should sign the Care Leavers Employer Friendly Charter.”
Find out more about how you can support the Care Leavers Covenant, and sign the Employer’s Charter, at https://mycovenant.org.uk/support-the-covenant/care-leaver-friendly-employer-charter/