We’ve been shortlisted for the ‘Positive Impact’ Award at SME London Business Awards!
We are excited to announce that Wiseup has been shortlisted as a finalist in the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s SME London Awards, for the Positive Impact Award.
Over the last year, we’ve focused our efforts on changing the lives of young people from Harris Academy Tottenham and South Bank University Academy – to be recognised for the Pathfinder Programme’s impact is a fantastic achievement. This wouldn’t have been possible without our partners - Kantar, IBM, Efficio, Hays and LondonEnergy, who all share our vision to make a difference.
The Pathfinder Programme is an initiative that upskills a group of our partner’s employees to become mentors for students in the local area, before taking part in a mentoring and work experience programme. Our 2022/2023 initiatives saw over 100 hours of 1-2-1 mentoring take place.
Ultimately, our goal is to enhance a company's ESG agenda by working with those who are committed to creating a measurable social impact in their community. In doing this, we hope to change young people’s perceptions of work, whilst breaking down social barriers that exist.
We applied the Pathfinder Programme principles to a new initiative called Intern 23, where 25 students from South Bank Univerisity Academy were partnered with mentors from Kantar, IBM, Efficio & Hays. The students benefited in a range of ways, most noticeably they:
- Felt more prepared for their careers
- Grew in confidence
- Gained new professional networks
- Identified new strengths and skills
- Worked on their LinkedIn profiles & CVs
- Discovered new career options and routes into industry
- Felt more at ease with the workplace
- Gained new workplace skills and insights
In particular, the group of students from South Bank University Academy gained a total of 435 LinkedIn connections whilst taking part in their programme. In creating their first networks, they gained valuable contacts to call upon for support during their first steps in their careers. One major success story was the mentor who worked directly with their mentee on their CV, which aided this young person in landing their first job. The repercussions of the programme are far-reaching and will continue benefiting students for many years to come.
It’s been an exciting few years for Wiseup and our partners, yet, with big goals to expand our reach and help transform the lives of even more young people, our mission is far from over. Next year, our student participant volume is set to triple across London and other cities as continue to push forward with our programmes. If you’re a UK-based business looking to positively transform those in your community, please contact us to get involved.
The SME London Business Awards final takes place on 8th February 2024.
