The Brokerage Citylink, a City-based social mobility charity, celebrated its 20th birthday with a special awards and celebration evening on Thursday 20th October.
The 20th anniversary awards recognised the support the charity has received throughout the past two decades.
The event, which was held in the Walkie-Talkie building at City law firm DWF, welcomed Mark Boleat, Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee, City of London Corporation, as guest of honour who shared his experience of working with the charity.
Amongst the guests were year 6 pupils from Saint Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Southwark, who impressed corporate representatives with their networking and presentation skills.
The Brokerage has been building links between employers and the local communities surrounding the financial districts since 1996.
These relationships enable the charity to help young people achieve their career potential by providing experience of work, employability skills and jobs in financial, professional and related services.
Bridget Gardiner, Executive Director of The Brokerage, said: “Our vision is a world where a young person’s ability and aspiration alone determine their career path. Whilst we are pleased that there have been huge improvements in social mobility and the employment of talented, young, local people, London is changing and The Brokerage is changing with it.
These awards acknowledge some fantastic achievements, whilst providing an opportunity for us to engage with new partners in order to offer opportunities for state-school students in disadvantaged schools and boroughs throughout Greater London.”
The Brokerage engage with over 8,000 young people from London’s state schools each year, through workshops, mentoring programmes, conferences, masterclasses, employability-skills training and insight days.
As well as reflecting on the past 20 years, The Brokerage took the opportunity to announce its future plans. In January 2017, The Brokerage will be holding a conference in partnership with Tower Hamlets Education Business Partnership and Lloyd’s on what the future of work will look like by 2040.
A recent report suggests that by then, 65% of today’s primary school children will be doing jobs which do not currently exist. The Brokerage looks forward to helping these children into those jobs, whatever they may be.
Winners of The Brokerage’s 20th anniversary awards:
Outstanding Corporate Supporter:
Winner – UBS
Highly Commended – Allen and Overy
Outstanding Volunteering:
Winner – Société Générale
Highly Commended – Bank of England
Outstanding School:
Winner – Heathcote Secondary School
N.B. no Highly Commended award
Brokerage Champion:
Winner – Richard Zaborski
N.B. no Highly Commended award
Outstanding Partnership
Highly Commended – City of London Corporation
Highly Commended – Worshipful Company of International Bankers
Highly Commended – Worshipful Company of Insurers
*Report: The Future of Jobs and Skills, World Economic Forum
ENDS
Media contact: Joanne Turrell
Email: joanne@thebrokerage.org.uk
Contact number: 0207 628 9904
