‘Get into Work’ Mentor Spotlight: Grant Thornton LLP

Mentors through our platform, Connectr, provide young people with the skills, training and confidence they need to not just secure a role but succeed in it.

 

Due to Covid hitting young people the hardest in the pandemic, 1 in 3 16-24 years olds have either lost their job or have been placed on furlough. Connectr are proud to be making a difference, launching our ‘Get into Work’ mentoring initiative in March 2021 with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). It continues to support young people from all backgrounds to get back into employment through the Jobcentre Plus.

 

David Hare, Director of People Advisory at Grant Thornton LLP shares his experiences as a mentor taking part in ‘Get into Work’.

 

What made you want to play an active role in supporting young people?

“We have so many young people who have either lost their job or are struggling to get into the world of work at all during the global pandemic. If I can do anything to help in giving someone less fortunate than me a leg up and get them into employment, then surely that’s a good thing to do.”

What are some of the highlights of your  mentoring role so far?

“Having worked for 20+ years it’s very easy to take for granted the value of our experience and the impact that our advice and guidance can have for a young person. I’ve mentored two people so far in this initiative, helping them to explore different routes, open them up to different opportunities and build their confidence by taking a fresh perspective on their own skills and experience so they can articulate a compelling story to a potential employer.”

How do you incorporate this volunteering opportunity alongside your day-to-day role?

“Because all of the mentoring takes place through Connectr’s platform, it’s easy to access in your own time to offer advice and guidance. It’s not a big time commitment or challenge to juggle with the day job.”

What advice would you give to a peer who is considering getting involved?

“Go for it. The time commitment is minimal but the advice that you can offer could genuinely change a young person’s life and put them on a different track. It’s very rewarding.”

 

Our initiative so far, has shown to be incredibly valuable for diverse young people across the UK to secure jobs in such a challenging climate.

 

To find out more about Connectr, get in touch.