Inspiring Young Men for Black History Month
On 4th October 2016, ELBA collaborated with Young Hackney to deliver an ‘Inspiring Young Men’ event in Dalston, targeted at the BAME (black, asian and minority ethnic) community and in celebration of Black History Month.
Breaking down barriers with this demographic in Hackney is a key aim for the borough, as young black men perform comparatively poorly on a number of economic indicators. This event was therefore a perfect opportunity for ELBA to work with Young Hackney on tackling this issue.
Rhys Jordan, Recruitment Consultant at Alexander Ash Consulting, and a Portfolio Modeller at T. Rowe Price, both volunteered for the event, providing excellent insights into the world of work for the young men. They were complemented by a wider cohort of volunteers that Young Hackney had recruited, with career backgrounds including life coaches, business owners, comedians and social workers.
The day started with a volunteer panel presenting their life stories, and the challenges they had to overcome growing up. This was followed by round table discussions where all volunteers sat with the young people and answered their questions around careers and challenges. This was a great way for volunteers to relay their personal stories and engage with the participants.
The successful event was wrapped up with informal networking, with young people showing their enthusiasm by proactively approaching volunteers.
Peter Algacs, Team Leader at Young Hackney, said:
“This was an excellent event that allowed young people who may be facing barriers to their aspirations to engage with a variety of professionals, relating to their personal journeys. We look forward to running events like this in the future.”
Ian Alexander, Managing Director at Alexander Ash Consulting, said:
“We’re delighted to see Rhys has taken up this opportunity to volunteer, sharing his own career story with the young people in the Hackney community. It is an excellent example of the type of event that Alexander Ash Consulting will continue to support and enjoy getting involved with”.
For further information about similar opportunities, please contact Ben Fowler, Community Works Project Manager: ben.fowler@elba-1.org.uk.
