State Street talks Parity

ELBA’s award-winning Parity project continues to be successful in its mission to bring about change and greater opportunities for young Black men. With recent statistics showing that the unemployment rate for this demographic is still the highest out of all the ethnic groups, the project works to improve access to sustainable careers for young Black men, who face particular disadvantage in the labour market; via direct job brokerage, employability training and mentoring support from business volunteers.

Most recently, ELBA hosted a Lunch and Learn event with State Street at their London office, video-linked to sites in Poland and Switzerland. The event was introduced by Jess McNicholas, Head of Global Inclusion Diversity and Corporate Citizenship and followed by a presentation on Parity’s impact to date from ELBA Project Manager, Eni Timi-Biu.

A discussion led by Ekene Ukoma, Chair of the firm’s Race & Ethnicity Network had panelists including Parity members Thaddeus and Jordy, Parity mentor Ola Idris, State Street, and Deji Adeoshun, Youth Programmes Manager, Hackney CVS. The panelists discussed their different experiences and perspectives having engaged in the programme.

Thaddeus spoke about how after his studies, he encountered many difficulties in escaping underemployment and transitioning into his desired career in marketing, stating: “I’ve had to fight to get into work.” For Thaddeus, Parity had given him a number of opportunities, including being put forward for interviews for jobs in line with his qualifications, experience, and interests.

Jordy who also benefited from the opportunities created by Parity expressed how engaging with employers and being supported with networking skills and interview preparation had led him to land a position at a top investment bank. Over 50% of Parity members are now in corporate roles. Jordy is one of many successful candidates that have been able to progress into a sustainable career through the project.

Ola Idris gave his perspective on his role as a Parity Mentor, emphasising that relatability was an important factor in engaging with his mentee: “I was in a similar position to these young men when I began my career…I didn’t have anyone in my immediate network to coach me regarding certain career paths”. He also talked about how rewarding the role was; “the role as a mentor is fulfilling, once you see how hungry [Parity candidates] are to be there.”

Deji Adeoshun spoke about the particular challenges to gain entry into certain careers, and how Parity provides an opportunity to overcome this:

It was also pointed out that the lack of visibility of Black men within corporate careers may be a contributing factor to a lack of diversity within certain careers, with Ekene emphasising that he would like to put himself out there more so that young Black men can see more people like themselves in these roles.

After the insightful discussion, the audience had the opportunity to ask questions and express their opinions on themes explored. David Nevill, Head of Skills and Training, State Street, commented on how having a variety of backgrounds in the workplace is advantageous for everyone.

There was a hugely positive response from the State Street employees in attendance, many of whom signed up to volunteer as mentors and also provide access to opportunities for Parity candidates. We hope to further empower more young Black men and provide the opportunities needed to support meaningful career progression.

ELBA is currently recruiting for our Parity Mentoring programme which launches in January 2020. If you would like to mentor a Parity candidate over a 6-month period, please get in touch with Parity Project Manager, Eni Timi-Biu: eni.timi-biu@elba-1.org.uk.