Chamber productivity campaign focusses on unlocking potential
The third week of the Chamber 's annual Growth Through People campaign begins today, focussing on Growth Through Unlocking Potential.
Growth Through People aims to help local firms boost productivity through improved leadership and people management skills.
Delivered by the Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce with a range of partners, it includes free training sessions, workshops and webinars alongside research and thought leadership content, all delivered together with Chamber members.
The 2021 campaign attracted around 400 delegates. 24 thought leadership blogs, advice from 16 local leaders in social media videos, and a 4-podcast mini-series on the Chamber Podcast were shared. The campaign hashtag reached over 300,000 accounts on twitter alone. The 2021 campaign was delivered in partnership with over 50 Chamber Member and stakeholder organisations.
2022 will be the sixth year the Chambers have run the campaign.
This week of the 2022 campaign will cover Growth Through Unlocking Potential and will feature an event and a webinar, alongside thought leadership blogs and podcast content.
The first event this week, Thinking Outside of the Box to Unlock Potential, will take place on 15 March at Conference Aston. It will feature expert insights on accessing and attracting talented individuals from communities under-represented in employment to roles within your organisation. Speakers will discuss their insights and experiences unlocking the potential of these individuals and how thinking outside of the box when it comes to recruitment can enable your business to thrive and grow.
Chaired by Emily Stubbs, Policy and Projects manager at the Chamber, the panel discussion will feature:
- Rose Rees, head of Engagement and Skills, Midland Metro Alliance
Midland Metro Alliance is a team of planning, design and construction specialists collaborating to build a number of new tram extensions across the region on behalf of the West Midlands Combined Authority. Rose and her Engagement & Skills team liaise with stakeholders along the routes and support local communities, schools and youth groups to promote career opportunities in rail and construction sectors. Midland Metro Alliance led on the development of a Level 2 Apprenticeship in Tramway Construction with requires no prior qualifications in a sector that actively recruits candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds, including those from under privileged areas, the long term unemployed and ex-offenders.
- Johnny Shah head of Trust Charity, Sandwell & West Birmingham NHS Trust
Johnny has worked almost entirely within the charity sector for nearly 18 years, beginning as a volunteer for a regional blind charity after consciously deciding to leave Arcadia Group 's graduate management scheme.
Going on to undertake fundraising and business development roles with young people and domestic abuse support charities, Johnny then worked at Charities Aid Foundation, providing finance and consultancy solutions. This led to a senior management role with care and support housing provider Trident Reach the People Charity, and an interim role with Dignity plc.
- Jean Templeton, chief executive, St Basils
Jean has been Chief Executive of St Basils since 2000 and prior to that has over 20 years ' experience of managing housing and neighbourhood services in a number of Local Authorities in the North East and Midlands.
Jean is a member of Birmingham 's Housing Partnership Board and Birmingham Social Housing Partnership Executive. She is Chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority 's Homelessness Taskforce and is a member of the Government 's Advisory Panel on Rough Sleeping and Homelessness and chairs the national Youth Homelessness Parliament. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing and was awarded an honorary doctorate from University of Birmingham in 2006 and Membership through Distinction of Faculty of Public Health in 2018. In 2019, she received the President 's Award from Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.
On 17 March, a Growth Through People webinar, on Leading Open Conversations about Identity in the Workplace, led by Cleo Morris, Founder & Head of Diverse Business & Enterprise, Mission Diverse (one of Birmingham Mail 's 30 most inspiring young people in the city under 30) will discuss how can we lead conversations about the intersectionality of social identities in the workplace and foster an approach to inclusivity which recognises the multifaceted nature of each individual in your team or organisation.
Growth Through People will continue throughout March, culminating in a conference on 30 March at Eastside Rooms.
The conference will explore further, exceptional perspectives on themes including responsible leadership, accessing and engaging talent, unlocking potential and harnessing resilience and feature speakers including Ian Reid, Chief Executive, Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, Dr Justin Varney, Director of Public Health, Birmingham City Council, Lisa Powney, Senior Consultant, Curium Solutions Limited and Karl George MBE, Managing Director, The Governance Forum Ltd, and Partner, RSM UK.
The 2022 Growth Through People campaign is sponsored by and delivered in partnership with Aston University, Birmingham City Council, South and City College Birmingham and the West Midlands Combined Authority.
Emily Stubbs, policy and projects manager at the chambers said, “We 're incredibly excited to explore unlocking potential during this week of our 2022 Growth Through People campaign.
“It is critical that the opportunities available in Greater Birmingham are inclusive and accessible to skilled talent from across the region, and that leaders and managers have the tools to unlock the potential in every member of their teams. We very much look forward to hearing from our fantastic expert speakers at this week 's sessions. ”
Click here to find out more about and book your FREE place at Growth Through People events and webinars, including Thinking Outside of The Box to Unlock Potential on 15 March and Leading Open Conversations About Identity in the Workplace on 17 March.
Click here to find out more about the Growth Through People conference.