The Trust, set up a year ago to help create inclusive workplaces and support underrepresented groups get into work, has launched a pioneering pilot project, mentoring people with convictions to thrive in the workplace.
The CIPD Trust has teamed up with St Giles Trust and Offploy, who work with people with convictions. The Trust is matching 20 experienced people professionals with 20 people from this group, who are giving up their time to mentor them to stay and succeed in their roles.
This month the first pairs start their six-month programme of mentoring to help rebuild confidence and skills so that mentees become comfortable and settled in the workplace.
The Trust's expert people professional mentors will:
Both St Giles and Offploy know that hiring people with convictions creates more inclusive and better places to work.
They understand that mentoring can empower people from this group to remain and succeed in work, giving more organisations the experience and confidence to hire people with convictions.
With 1.1 million unfilled job vacancies in the UK, embracing this untapped talent pool can be a solution to resourcing and a great driver for positive change to recruitment perceptions.
Two retailers, Greggs and the Timpson Foundation, have been hiring from this untapped talent pool for many years and say they are a huge asset to their businesses.
At a CIPD Trust panel session at this month’s CIPD Festival of Work, Greggs and the Timpson Foundation explained how this group of people have strengthened their workplaces.
They said:
The Trust aims to prove that it makes a difference for this group of people to have a people professional mentor by their side at work to break down barriers and overcome stigma. If successful, the Trust wants to roll out the programme to many more people. Currently there are 60-70,000 people who leave prison each year and having a job is one of the key things that help them to turn their lives around and secure a better future.
If you want to create an inclusive workplace by championing untapped talent, join the Trust’s free webinar on 6 July.
The Trust was set up last year to amplify the CIPD’s overall purpose to champion better work and working lives. The Trust runs programmes and activities to help people get into work and return to work, as well as support people from all backgrounds to develop in the people profession.
It aims to be inclusive and to inspire change by empowering people to seek and secure opportunities through providing access to the expertise of CIPD members and industry partners.
Keep up to date via the CIPD Trust website or follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn
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