We are delighted to announce we have signed the Care Leavers Covenant.
The covenant is a national inclusion programme that helps care leavers aged 16-25 live independently. It aims to provide support for those leaving care which supplements that statutorily provided by local authorities.
The covenant team works with organisations to build bespoke opportunities, structured across five key objectives to ensure that care leavers:
- Are better prepared and supported to live independently
- Have improved access to employment, education and training
- Experience stability in their lives and feel safe and secure
- Have improved access to health care and emotional support
- Achieve financial stability
The Care Leavers Covenant is one of three introduced by the UK government and follows on from the Armed Forces Covenant and the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant.
We have recently received the gold award from the Armed Forces Covenant, in recognition of the way we help veterans transition to work within facilities management.
Signing up to the CLC is another way we can support and give back to the communities in which we work.
With the support of the UK government and the Department for Education, the aim of the CLC is to enable organisations to identify flexible and sustainable opportunities to allow young people who have been in care achieve long-term financial independence and economic security.
As an organisation, we have committed to supporting care leavers in the following ways:
- Flexible job opportunities
- Mentoring
- Coaching
- On the job training – including apprenticeships
- Support creating CV’s and interview preparation
- Networking events – Nourish & Network
- Work experience
Additionally, we are partnering with Drive Forward, a London-based charity that helps young adults transition from care into a career and achieve their full potential and through them we have already successfully placed a care leaver in a role with us.
Operations director Cheryl-Anne Sanderson said: ‘At Churchill, we believe that we have the potential to offer new perspectives, as well as professional expertise. These can provide a new way of thinking, plus opportunities to help care leavers move forward successfully to the next phase of their lives.
‘It’s about highlighting our personal career experiences to encourage people who might be afraid to step into the world of work.
‘I’m really passionate about this and I know many others in Churchill feel the same – the thought of making a difference to someone’s life and helping them turn a dream into a reality is a feeling that no money can buy.
‘The more we can demonstrate it’s not rocket science to work in a role, or be part of a team, the more the talent pool widens and the more tomorrow’s leaders are there and waiting in our businesses for their next challenge.’