Charity honoured with Queen's Award
A West-Midlands-based charity has been revealed as a recipient of the prestigious Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, a lifelong honour offered in recognition of outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their communities.
EmployabilityUK is dedicated to supporting young people from some of the most deprived areas of the country, giving them the skills, the confidence and the attitude to succeed in the workplace.
“It 's absolutely incredible and we 're over the moon to have been recognised in this way ” explained EmployabilityUK founder and chief executive Diane Vernon.
“Our volunteers are the very fabric of our charity, and all that we are has been shaped by their expertise. Indeed, we achieved our very first pilot programme with just two employees and a team of 30 volunteers.
“With over 1,000 volunteers involved over the years, we now have more than 100 volunteers actively working with us, and it 's wonderful that this award recognises their passion, dedication, and most of all the very real and practical difference they make to each and every young person we connect with.
“I never imagined we 'd receive something as special as a Queen 's Award, but it 's further galvanised our belief in all that we do. I know that it will do for us, what we do for young people - empower us to move forwards in a much bolder way. ”
The award nomination was made by Coventry Building Society after seeing first-hand the real impact EmployabilityUK 's work has.
“We 've partnered with Di and the team for the last six years on their pioneering Employability Skills programme, and together we 've supported over 750 Coventry-based Year 12 students ” explained Anna Cuskin, Senior Manager for Coventry Building Society.
“Seeing the life-changing impact the programmes have is humbling, and not just in terms of teaching practical skills, but confidence, self-belief, and aspiration too ” she added.
EmployabilityUK will receive the award crystal and the certificate from Lord-Lieutenant John Crabtree OBE later this summer, and two volunteers from the charity will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2022.
Diane said: “We 're very much looking forward to marking the award win and we 're arranging our own celebratory event this summer for all of the volunteers who have supported us over the years. ”
The programmes offered by the organisation featured strongly in the nomination, and included their 360 transformation in 360 minutes which is delivered face-to-face in schools, colleges and community venues and the Inspiring Young Birmingham programme which helps prepare young people to volunteer for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
This programme was one of the first partners announced by United by Birmingham 2022 and has benefitted over 800 young people since it began in 2020.
The pandemic and lockdowns meant the workshops had to be developed for online delivery, and the organisation was quick to adapt, launching their EmployabilityUK Virtual Workshops nationwide.
With around 50 young people at every workshop, the content creation and delivery is all run through volunteers who come from a variety of backgrounds.
Programmes cover topics including: The A-Z of Super Confidence, Vision Boards and Be Your Best You, How to Produce an Effective CV, Presentation Skills, and How to Shine at an Interview.
To find out more about EmployabilityUK, click here or call 0345 601 5551.