Business leaders convene with BITC in Brent to improve ethnically diverse young people’s access to employment

Business leaders convene with BITC in Brent to improve ethnically diverse young people’s access to employment

  • Business leaders from across the UK visit Brent, an area where almost two-thirds of the population are from ethnically diverse backgrounds,[2] with Business in the Community (BITC) to understand the challenges facing Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse young people living in the area, and the benefits of business interventions to support these young people to access work. 
  • The visit comes as research shows that seven in 10 ethnically diverse 18-24-year-olds in Brent are not in employment, and three in 10 ethnically diverse young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) see racial discrimination as their biggest barrier to work. 
  • The visit was organised by BITC and led by Richard Iferenta, Partner and Vice Chair of KPMG UK, and Chair of BITC’s Race Equality Leadership Team. 

Business in the Community (BITC), in partnership with Youth Futures Foundation, has today brought senior business leaders to the London Borough of Brent, under the leadership of Richard Iferenta, Partner and Vice Chair of KPMG UK. The visit gave business leaders the opportunity to understand the challenges faced by Black, Asian, Mixed Race and other ethnically diverse young people living in Brent, leading to large numbers of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) and a low rate of social mobility, and come up with meaningful, long-term solutions to address these barriers to work. 

The visit comes as research shows that young people who have four or more encounters with employers by the time they are 16 are 86% less likely to become NEET.[3] However, in Brent, six in 10 ethnically diverse young people have never been informed about employment support during their education, and seven in 10 ethnically diverse 18-24-year-olds in Brent are not in employment.[4] In addition, research shows that three in 10 ethnically diverse young people who are NEET see racial discrimination as their biggest barrier to work.[5] 

Business leaders visited Newman Catholic College, an all-boys secondary school in Brent, where many of the students are from ethnically diverse backgrounds and half speak English as an additional language. Business leaders also visited the Young Brent Foundation, a community organisation helping young people access educational courses, training and work experience, placements and apprenticeships, and heard from young people who have benefitted from the organisation’s services. Business leaders also had the opportunity to hear from businesses such as Tesco and Costain about the work they are already doing to support ethnically diverse young people into work. 

The visit was attended by senior business leaders from a range of companies, including Grant Thornton, KPMG UK, Sovereign Network Group, Verizon UK and Worldline. 

Richard Iferenta, Partner and Vice Chair at KPMG UK, and Chair of BITC’s Race Equality Leadership Team, said: 

“The Seeing is Believing visit to Brent provides us with an important opportunity to address the challenges and explore the opportunities available to young people from ethnically diverse backgrounds who are not in education, employment or training. As business leaders, we hold a unique position to drive meaningful change. I hope that this visit can inspire collective business action and bring about impactful change to the lives of ethnically diverse young people. Every young person deserves a clear and equitable pathway into employment, and whether through recruitment, retention or mentorship, we must all find ways to ensure that no one is left behind. By working together, we can build a future where our workplaces truly reflect the diverse societies we live in.” 

Barry Fletcher, Chief Executive of Youth Futures Foundation, said: 

“This year, our Discrimination and work report revealed that 48% of young people have experienced prejudice or discrimination when seeking to enter the workplace. And nearly three quarters of those who experience discrimination consider leaving their jobs as a result. Research consistently shows that embracing diversity benefits business performance. So, not only do business leaders have a responsibility to create workplaces where employees feel safe, respected and valued; they also have an opportunity to unlock an untapped talent pool by hiring ethnically diverse young people and supporting them to thrive. By listening to the experiences of young people, like those we visited today in Brent, business leaders can begin to understand the challenges they face, as well as the wealth of skills and enthusiasm they bring. We hope this will inspire employers to make evidence-based changes to eliminate racial discrimination and strengthen their businesses through diversity.” 

Mary Macleod, Chief Executive of Business in the Community, said: 

“Business in the Community’s mission is to transform lives and help communities across the UK to thrive. Through The King’s Seeing is Believing programme, we bring business leaders into communities around the UK to understand the challenges faced by the people living and working in these communities and come up with meaningful long-term solutions to address the barriers they face and support the incredible work already being done on the ground. Today’s Seeing is Believing visit highlighted the barriers that ethnically diverse young people might face when trying to access employment in today’s working world. All young people deserve equitable support to get into work, and it is our responsibility as employers to ensure that no one gets left behind.” 
 
The King’s Seeing is Believing programme was established by the then Prince of Wales in 1990. The programme, supported by Salesforce and Linklaters LLP, was born from a simple but powerful belief that the best way to close the gap between the boardroom and the community was to take business leaders out to the communities and, through the power of experiential learning, to inspire and challenge participants. The visits are designed to encourage business leaders to think strategically about the implications for their own businesses and the practical actions that can be taken in response, leading to meaningful and sustained impact for both businesses and communities. To date, over 25,000 business leaders have taken part in the Seeing is Believing programme which has led to many initiatives being set up including Career Ready, Ban the Box and mentoring circles in collaboration with the Department for Work and Pensions. 

ENDS 

Notes to editor 

1. Photos of the visit are available upon request. 

2. Brent Council: Ethnicity in Brent – 2021 Census topic report | Brent Open Data (from Census 2021 data)

3. Education and Employers: Contemporary transitions: Young Britons reflect on life after secondary school and college – Education and Employers 

4. Young Brent Foundation: Flourishing Futures 

5. Youth Futures Foundation: Discrimination and work: breaking down the barriers faced by ethnically minoritised young people – Youth Futures Foundation. 

6. Find out more about Newman Catholic College. 

7. Find out more about Young Brent Foundation. 

          For further information, please contact Polly Dacam, Press Officer, on 020 7566 6638.