<p class="__intro"><span class="Intro">You&rsquo;ve made up your mind; it&rsquo;s time to start looking for a new job, or another level in your career, so what is the next step?&nbsp;</span>You no doubt take to your favourite online search engine to find the perfect job, but before you can even start sifting through the available positions, you need to recognise which of the millions of recruitment agencies is the right one for you.</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s important to find an agency who understands the sector in which you wish to work. Therefore, if you work in a specialist role you need to find an agency which covers that area and works closely with major employers in that field.</p>
<p>The advantages of using a specialist division</p>
<ul>
<li>Specialist recruiters are proactive in their search for roles, which means jobs are advertised with them before going on to traditional job sites, so if you are going specialist, you could get in first above other candidates.</li>
<li>You are also less likely to go up against hundreds and thousands of other applicants, which will increase your chances of getting to the interview stage.</li>
<li>Specialist divisions are specifically placed to offer the best job opportunities.</li>
<li>You can benefit from focused guidance and support during the recruitment process.</li>
<li>They are more likely to meet your requirements.</li>
</ul>
<p>If you are looking for a more general role, choose a recruitment agency who manages job vacancies for people at all levels and from a variety of industries.</p>
<p>The advantages of using a generalist recruitment agency</p>
<ul>
<li>Increases your choice of industries and companies.</li>
<li>Consultants may send your CV to jobs you might have otherwise not considered.</li>
<li>They can give objective feedback on your application and how to promote yourself.</li>
</ul>
<p>At Acorn you get the best of both worlds, as we are a multi-specialist recruitment agency with a wide range of specialist divisions like construction, nursing and IT, plus many others, supported by a large network of branches across the UK.</p>
<p><strong>When you are conducting your job search, make sure to use a recruitment agency which is accredited to governing bodies such as REC (the Recruitment and Employment Federation) and has been awarded quality marks.</strong></p>

Top tips for picking the right recruitment agency

A graduate's guide to landing your first job

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<li><strong>The Chancellor visits North Devon to welcome a global bio-tech company&rsquo;s &pound;60m investment in the local area creating 200 jobs and levelling up.</strong></li>
<li><strong>These high skill, high wage jobs will fuel growth in Ilfracombe which will become home to one of the Pall Corporation&rsquo;s largest filtration manufacturing sites globally, employing 1,000 people.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Ilfracombe has played a critical role in the fight against Covid-19, providing vital filtration equipment to the majority of the world&rsquo;s vaccine suppliers, saving millions of lives.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>THE CHANCELLOR has today welcomed a world-leading bio-tech company&rsquo;s &pound;60m investment in North Devon&ndash;hailing the effect it will have on creating jobs, boosting the local economy, and levelling up.</p>
<p>Visiting the Pall Corporation&rsquo;s Ilfracombe site &ndash; which is set to become one of the firm&rsquo;s largest filtration manufacturing centres globally thanks to the additional 200 jobs announced today &ndash; Rishi Sunak praised the investment in the town which played a critical role in the production of safe, cheap vaccines to fight Covid-19, saving millions of lives.</p>
<p>This is the first tranche of hundreds of millions of dollars which will be invested in the UK over the next three years, creating 500 jobs UK wide, part of a &pound;1.1bn global expansion announced in July 2021.</p>
<p>With a presence in Devon for more than 40 years, the Ilfracombe site supplies the vast majority of the world&rsquo;s vaccine manufacturers with vital filtration equipment crucial in the production of Covid-19 vaccines.</p>
<p><strong>Following his visit, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said:</strong></p>
<p>&ldquo;It is great news that the Pall Corporation is investing &pound;60 million in Ilfracombe creating 200 jobs, a fantastic example of levelling up in action.</p>
<p>&ldquo;This site started in the 1970s with just 50 employees and now is playing a crucial role in world&rsquo;s fight back against Covid-19, saving lives in every country on the planet and boosting the Devon economy.</p>
<p>&ldquo;As we look to establish ourselves as a truly Global Britain and drive forward our recovery it&rsquo;s crucial, we continue to attract foreign investment and create well-paid jobs for the future.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Joseph Repp, President, Pall Life Sciences, said:</strong></p>
<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re thrilled to be part of the Ilfracombe community and excited to welcome new associates to our growing team. Our Ilfracombe manufacturing facility is integral to our global capacity expansion plans and continues to play a critical role in helping our customers deliver life-saving vaccines and therapeutics for patients.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Filtering and cleaning air is essential in the creation of the huge numbers of safe vaccines the world needs. Without this vital technology, the risk of contamination increases, and production is slowed. This reduces the number of vaccines available and increases their cost.</p>
<p>The site in Ilfracombe, built on the old railway station in 1978, started with just 50 employees. Today it employs 850 people with an extra 200 recruits in the pipeline, the investment will be a significant boost to the local economy.</p>
<p>The Government is also investing to level up Devon and the South West. Devon County Council secured &pound;10 million of Government investment from the Community Renewal Fund to support local businesses, promote digital innovation in the county and create new opportunities.</p>
<p>At Budget the Government announced &pound;1.5bn worth of investment specifically earmarked for the South West to transform transport networks in the region by reopening railway stations and improving road networks, the Government is also investing in local economies and helping small businesses grow through the Cornwall and Isle of Scilly Investment Fund.</p>

Pall invests £60 million in Ilfracombe creating 200 jobs

<p>Shermayne Young is a woman who will be quite literally working to bridge gender gaps in the construction industry. &nbsp;The mum of one joined industry giant Willmott Dixon as a Gates-woman and is now a full-time labourer, following a five-year hiatus from the workplace due to the birth of her daughter, and the subsequent breakdown of her marriage.</p>
<p>The Aberdare resident and former lab technician finds herself back in gainful employment after accepting an invite to attend a &lsquo;Women in Construction&rsquo; event run by Acorn Recruitment, via the Communities for Work scheme.</p>
<p>Seven months on, Shermayne wants to help other women who may be looking for work to think about a job in the construction industry - where females otherwise represent around just 12% of the current UK workforce*.</p>
<p>Shermayne, who otherwise struggled to go back to work like she&rsquo;d originally planned, said: &ldquo;I would say to any woman thinking of a job in construction to just go for it. My marriage meant I&rsquo;d put off pursuing a job in the industry, but I made a decision to be true to myself and I haven&rsquo;t looked back.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I went along to Acorn&rsquo;s event in Cardiff and started my new job within the week - now they want me here until the end of the project and I&rsquo;m chuffed. No day is the same and I couldn&rsquo;t work with a better bunch of people, who know my daughter comes first, that I&rsquo;m doing things on my own, and couldn&rsquo;t be more supportive.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&nbsp;Despite a 50/50 split in men and women across the UK workforce, just 296,000 out of 2.3 million jobs created in the construction industry were occupied by women in 2016, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).</p>
<p>Acorn is among those working to redress the balance as one of the UK&rsquo;s largest recruiters operating across multiple business sectors nationwide.</p>
<p>As such, it runs a series of &lsquo;Women in Construction&rsquo; events across South Wales to encourage more women to enter construction, bringing together local employers and jobseekers to discuss fully-funded training opportunities and vacancies available regionally in the process.</p>
<p>Lawrence Beach, Construction Operations Manager at Acorn, said: &ldquo;Shermayne&rsquo;s story as a young woman thriving within the construction industry is a great one but still, unfortunately, a fairly unusual one too. Her work with, and commitment to, Bouygues is a great example of how employers and jobseekers of all backgrounds can work together in pursuit of a common goal, regardless of any perceived differences to the contrary.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re absolutely delighted to have played a part in placing Shermayne into a work environment that she loves and in a role which she feels not only fulfilled by, but confidently capable of carrying out to the best of her abilities.&rdquo;</p>
<p>One of various employers signed up regionally, Willmott Dixon was more than happy to support objectives set out by Acorn in bringing more females into construction and fill key industry vacancies at the same time, not least with its own business objectives in mind too.</p>
<p>Jon Pritchard, Senior Project Surveyor at Willmott Dixon, said: &ldquo;We could not ask for a better employee than Shermayne and are really pleased to have taken the opportunity to partner up with Acorn on this pioneering project, not just for our own benefit but in support of wider changes in the construction industry as a whole too.</p>
<p>&ldquo;At the end of the day, it&rsquo;s about bringing the right level of expertise into focus for a range of organisations, regardless of whether those skills happen to come from a male or a female employee. In this case, that brief was one hundred per cent fulfilled.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Acorn is&nbsp;listed in the top 1% of all leading UK recruiters, helping to develop careers, grow businesses, fulfil ambitions and ultimately change lives.</p>
<p>The company works with hundreds of UK and international businesses to bring UK job seekers the best job opportunities available through its network of more than 40 branches nationwide, as well as through its specialist division.</p>

Working to bridge construction industry gender gaps

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<h2>A New Prison Employment Initiative</h2>
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<h3>The Reconstruct Programme is a platform designed to provide a solution.</h3>
Acorn by Synergie have set up a simple way for you to pledge your support to supporting people with convictions into employment.
<p>In partnership with the HMPPS (Prison Service), Acorn Recruitment Ltd are working with people with convictions across South Wales and Bristol via the three Welsh Prisons and HMP Bristol.<br>We go into each prison every month to work with those in their last 12 weeks of sentence that have shown a willingness to engage and are interested in a construction role.</p>
<p>Over a series of face-to-face sessions, we are establishing what skills, motivations and location areas are relevant for each individual. Our goal is to then try and assist with employment and training opportunities for each.</p>
<p>The individuals we are working with have an incredible amount of potential and in a lot of cases have construction skills that would make them a real asset to any business. There is also a tremendous motivation to turn their life around and give their all to the right company and profession.</p>
<strong>How does it work?</strong>
<h5>The key concept is strength in numbers. The bigger the network of companies pledging their support the more chance there will be an opportunity.</h5>
<p>By creating a collective of like-minded organisations based across the country we can help give confidence to these individuals that there is a chance for them to succeed and put something back into their communities.</p>
<p>Individuals could be based in a variety of various locations and could have a range of different skills. We have met Health &amp; Safety advisors, qualified tradespeople, and energy assessors through to those looking for an opportunity as a general operative or apprentice. Because of this, we feel this works best as a collaborative solution with a large network of companies big and small pulling together to make it work.</p>
<strong>What about CSCS cards?...</strong>
<p>CSCS training is now being delivered within the prisons, so candidates looking to get into construction are leaving with a full CSCS card.</p>
<p><strong>Acorn by Synergie are charging no fees for this service and there is no obligation to employ anyone via Acorn by Synergie</strong></p>
<h2>I&rsquo;m not sure I could commit&hellip;</h2>
<p><strong>That&rsquo;s the beauty of the network. The only commitment you have to give is to be open-minded and if you have a potential opening for an individual that falls into your area or line of work then you would consider them.</strong></p>
<p>We appreciate that employment (especially in construction) is often down to timing and location. With enough of us within the network, we believe that it gives the best chance of employment being secured.</p>
<p>Being part of the network also means that Acorn by Synergie will carry out the front-end work. We will take the responsibility of going into the prisons, meeting people frequently and working with the teams to get them work ready.</p>
<p><img src="https://www.acornpeople.com/media/4159/reconstruct_logos.png" alt="Reconstruct Logos (1)"></p>
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<h2>Key benefits to my company?</h2>
<p class="__intro">If your business chose to be part of this network it would include these benefits:&ndash;</p>
<ul>
<li>It is free to join</li>
<li>Business featured on dedicated network web page supporting people with convictions into employment</li>
<li>Social media promotion of your support</li>
<li>Shows you are supporting social value in the form of improving social mobility</li>
<li>Fantastic evidence to include in tenders and case studies</li>
<li>An easy way for you to do something massively rewarding and worthwhile without having to allocate a lot of resources to it</li>
<li>A fantastic way to identify new talent to assist with skills shortages</li>
<li>Positive PR for your business</li>
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<div class="usercontent"><strong>The pledge &ndash; What we would ask of you&hellip;</strong>
<p class="__intro">In short&hellip; very little, but we would look for the following:&ndash;</p>
<ul>
<li>Provide us with a rough idea of the locations and types of roles that you might employ</li>
<li>Be willing to receive an email about a candidate that matched your brief above</li>
<li>Be able to feedback to us if you didn&rsquo;t have any upcoming openings for that individual</li>
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<h4><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 0px;" data-metadata="&lt;!--(figmeta)eyJmaWxlS2V5IjoiYTY0bGNsdXRxNG1tSXY5a1B1eVA2dyIsInBhc3RlSUQiOjgxNTA2Nzc2OCwiZGF0YVR5cGUiOiJzY2VuZSJ9Cg==(/figmeta)--&gt;">&nbsp;</span></h4>
<h4>If this initiative fits in with your Social Value Strategy please Lawrence Beach. Thank you.</h4>
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Reconstruct Network

<p class="MsoNormal">Pupils at Llanmartin Primary School are being supported by the recruiter to trial a new online learning tool called Our Classroom Climate, created to inspire students on the importance of sustainability in their local communities.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As a result, Llanmartin students now have access to a year long climate change programme providing them with practical experiments and curriculum-based lessons that have the potential to make their school, and others across the UK, carbon neutral.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Victoria Curtis, Head Teacher at Llanmartin Primary, said:</strong> &ldquo;The Our Climate Classroom programme feeds perfectly into wider curriculum aims laid out to ensure that the issue of climate change is firmly embedded within the learning experiences of our children and young people nationwide.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&ldquo;Our pupils have found the whole experience thoroughly engaging and we&rsquo;re really grateful to the team at Acorn by Synergie in helping us to become one of the first schools to try out this new technology, therefore.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As part of the partnership, children at Llanmartin also received a visit from one of their own, former pupil Tania Cummins, who now works at Acorn by Synergie&rsquo;s UK headquarters in Newport as its Head of Compliance.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Tania said:</strong> &ldquo;Education plays such a vital role in helping to tackle climate change, and programmes like Our Classroom Climate are set to play a crucial part in creating a better, greener world for the next generation and beyond.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&ldquo;The course itself is also designed to help meet government aims in helping schools to meet its sustainability and climate change targets, and is really engaging and informative too.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&ldquo;So, it&rsquo;s been a real pleasure to have made a return to my old primary school and relive a key part of my past as part of a hugely positive project that has been designed to create a brighter future for us all,&rdquo; <strong>Tania added.</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Acorn by Synergie is one of the UK&rsquo;s leading recruiters with a global outlook and 40 branches operating nationwide, with its own CSR and sustainability strategy in place too.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As part of this work, and following the trial with Llanmartin Primary pupils, it now aims to support this strategy further by rolling out use of the Our Climate Classroom programme across its wider network of branches and clients UK wide too.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Mark Douglas, who founded our Climate Classroom in partnership with Cardiff University, said:</strong> &ldquo;We were delighted to inform the wonderful school team at Llanmartin that Acorn wished to fund them to receive our climate change education programme.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&ldquo;The local Acorn team were given a very warm welcome at the school and even got involved in some climate change lessons including capturing Carbon in the classroom - it was so good to see local companies adding real social value.&rdquo;</p>

Acorn by Synergie supports Newport’s Llanmartin Primary 

<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Business leaders from across Wales came together on a level playing field to raise thousands of pounds for charity at the 3rd annual CEO Kickabout, organised by Acorn in partnership with the Football Association of Wales (FAW).</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Attendees enjoyed a day of sport at the National Football Development Centre at Dragon Park, Newport, in support of the UK recruiter&rsquo;s efforts to raise &pound;30,000 for its 2022 chosen charity, Mind UK, in its 30th year of business.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Players from all sectors took their turn on the pitch to raise more than &pound;8,000 which will now go towards that total, and enjoyed some tactical insight from FAW Chief Executive Officer Noel Mooney and Wales&rsquo; national team manager, Robert Page, beforehand.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Bernard Ward, Managing Director at Acorn Recruitment, said:</strong> &ldquo;Mental health issues have been amongst the foremost of challenges faced by companies in recent times, and we have spent the last 12 months renewing and enhancing our focus on the wellbeing of the people that make our organisation what it is today in response.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&ldquo;Our HR policies have all been, or are in the process of being reviewed, renewed and added to with a focus on ensuring our team feel valued and supported. So, it made total sense for us to choose Mind UK as our charity of the year in our 30th anniversary year, to help us in contributing to the wider community too.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Bernard continued:</strong> &ldquo;We would like to say a huge thank you to the FAW for supporting us with this effort and once again partnering with us on this fantastic event, which brought businesses together for a day of football insights from Noel Mooney and Robert Page, a five aside tournament and a great opportunity to chat at the barbecue later on.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Organisations taking part included project managers Arena Projects, Watkins Davies Insurance Consultants Ltd, cyber consultants PureCyber Ltd, Eat Sleep Media, sales centre Outsource Strategies, RWG Mobile, training provider Call of the Wild and South Wales Sports Grounds,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Players from sporting agency Sotic, St Davids World, Vog Brewery and solicitor Harding Evans were also joined by those from Acorn and the FAW, while Jeff White Motors was named best team on the day, and Owen Eirey of Arena Projects became player of the day.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>FAW CEO Noel Mooney said:</strong> &ldquo;It&rsquo;s great to see the CEO Kickabout event continue to support worthwhile community causes with each year that passes, and we are especially delighted this year to have supported the amazing fundraising effort from Acorn to raise &pound;30,000 for charity in its 30th year of business.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&ldquo;Engaging Welsh businesses is vital to the work that we do in encouraging and continually improving upon football participation levels across Wales, and we are delighted once again to have welcomed a diverse range of organisations to enjoy the world-class facilities at Dragon Park in support of such a worthwhile cause.&rdquo;</p>

3rd annual CEO Kickabout

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<p>Staff are taking on the challenge of swimming the same distance from the UK to France - a total of 1,352 lengths of a standard 25 metre pool - between June 19th and July 1st to help send a family on a VIP weekend to London or Disneyland Paris.</p>
<p>The team wants to raise between &pound;1,000 and &pound;3,500 for our chosen charity for 2023, When You Wish Upon a Star, which grants the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses. Funds raised will sponsor a much-needed trip away for a child and their family as part of a wish programme run by the charity.</p>
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<p><strong>David Harvey, Branch Manager for Chippenham and Gloucester at Acorn by Synergie, says:</strong>&nbsp;&ldquo;When You Wish Upon A Star is such a great cause and I felt they deserved a really great challenge to support them. With the parent company of Acorn by Synergie, the Synergie group, being based in France, there seemed no better way to unite our team and raise money for this excellent cause at the same time than swimming the channel, therefore.&rdquo;</p>
<p>So far, Acorn by Synergie has raised over &pound;1000 for When You Wish Upon a Star and aims to bring that total to &pound;10,000 for the cause throughout 2023 with a range of initiatives that include its cross-channel swim challenge, a charity golf tournament and more.</p>
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<p><strong>Bernard Ward, Managing Director of Acorn by Synergie, says:</strong> &ldquo;Our goal for 2023 is to continue raising as much money as we can and help make wishes come true for as many children as possible, therefore, through the amazing support services When You Wish Upon A Star provides to young people and families who are otherwise facing some really tough challenges in life.&rdquo;</p>
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<p>To show your support for the Acorn by Synergie South West team and When You Wish Upon A Star, visit:&nbsp;</p>
<p><a title="Just Giving Page" href="https://www.justgiving.com/page/southwest-swim-the-channel"><span class="button">Donate here&nbsp;</span></a></p>
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Acorn by Synergie staff get set to swim the English Channel for our chosen charity, When You Wish Upon A Star

<p class="MsoNormal">Acorn by Synergie has been recognised for its commitment to supporting the emotional wellbeing of its employees as a winner at this year&rsquo;s Wales Business Awards.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The leading UK recruiter took home the Wellbeing at Work award at the 2023 ceremony, which took place at the International Convention Centre (ICC) Wales this week (May 18th).</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Judges were looking for businesses that support their employees to succeed by demonstrating their commitment to health, safety and wellbeing and found what they were looking for at Acorn by Synergie, a company signed up to the Mental Health at Work Commitment pledge, among other things.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Bernard Ward, Managing Director said:</strong> &ldquo;As business leaders, the mental health of our employees is vital to the health of our business - it is a known fact that happy people make happy companies.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The company has also set in place &ldquo;you days&rdquo; where, if someone is struggling for any reason, they have a day available to take purely to focus on themselves, as well as giving people their birthday day off too.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Bernard added:</strong> &ldquo;I am absolutely delighted that these efforts have been formally recognised with this prestigious award, which is a tribute to all my amazing colleagues at Acorn by Synergie that work day in, day out to make it all happen.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t think of anything better to be recognised for as a business than as one supporting its workforce to be happier, more productive and emotionally resilient people to be honest.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&ldquo;We work really hard at Acorn by Synergie to support our highly valued colleagues in feeling valued and listened to, not just professionally but as people with home lives and loved ones to support, too.&rdquo;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The panel was also impressed by a range of other schemes Acorn by Synergie has introduced to support the company&rsquo;s workforce in all areas of their lives, not just at work.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">These include life coaching support for senior staff, training mental health first aiders, monthly wellbeing checks with employees, financial wellbeing seminars, its Cycle to Work scheme, a Hybrid Working Policy, a Menopause Support Group and many other initiatives.</p>

Acorn by Synergie praised for supporting emotional wellbeing of its employees

<p>Horses bring YOUNITED Flag to Mansion House to award first UK companies to employ ex-offenders through new Key4Life award scheme</p>
<p class="__intro">23 September, 2021, London: Flag-bearing former convicts on horseback descended on the Mansion House today, where Alderman William Russell, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, awarded the first 15 UK companies to employ ex-offenders through the prestigious YOUNITED Flag award.</p>
<p>The YOUNITED FLAG award &ndash; launched in September 2019 by music legend Nile Rodgers together with crime prevention charity, Key4Life - encourages companies to employ ex-offenders and give them another chance, rewarding those that do with the prestigious YOUNITED Flag kitemark.</p>
<p>The 15 companies awarded the YOUNITED Flag today are: Acorn Recruitment, Avalara, Bouygues, Dent Global, MediaCom, Purple Hire Solutions, SheerLuxe, Sir Robert McAlpine, Social Pantry, Sony Music, St James, Trade Windows, Yeo Valley, Willis Towers Watson and Willmott Dixon.</p>
<p>Key4Life will extend the YOUNITED FLAG award to many more companies UK-wide next year, in association with the Corbett Network.</p>
<p>The special awards ceremony at Mansion House also celebrated the 9th birthday of Key4Life, which has an unrivalled track record for transforming the lives of some of the most disaffected young men in Britain. Key4Life reduces re-offending through its innovative rehabilitation programme for young men in prison and those at risk of going to prison, saving lives by helping to break the cycle of crime. Running programmes in London and the South West, the charity uses equine therapy, music, mentorship and employability training to help the young men heal and become valuable contributors to society. Horses play a vital part in rehabilitating the men, both inside and out of prison.</p>
<p>Alderman William Russell said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m honoured to present the YOUNITED Flag awards. It&rsquo;s remarkable to see graduates from rehabilitation programmes attaining impressive corporate roles because some one cared enough, for long enough, to change their lives. Employing ex-offenders offers the chance to include a new perspective in the workplace and provides a genuine opportunity to do something meaningful by offering these young men a second chance.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Eva Hamilton, Founder and CEO of Key4Life says: &ldquo;Research shows that 50% of corporate Britain would not hire ex-offenders, and yet having a job is the crucial success factor for men with convictions. With reoffending costing the UK government &pound;18.1 Billion a year, the YOUNITED Flag award highlights how employing ex-offenders can drive change by dispelling stereotypes and removing unfair prejudice.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Ex-offender Liam Meredith, who worked for YOUNITED FLAG award recipient, Yeo Valley, for three years before recently setting up his own ice cream and burger van business in collaboration with Key4Life and Yeo Valley, said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m hugely grateful to both Key4Life and Yeo Valley for helping me rebuild my life. Without more companies giving men with convictions opportunities, we can&rsquo;t break the cycle of crime. We&rsquo;ve made our mistakes, we can&rsquo;t deny that, but now we want change. So my message to other companies is that if you aren&rsquo;t going to be part of the solution by giving ex-offenders another chance, you&rsquo;re part of the problem.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Liam and some fellow Key4Life rappers featured on the new Key4Life Vol. 1 EP, produced by Sony Music (released 15 October), will shortly be closing the YOUNITED Flag awards ceremony with a short private performance of extracts from the EP. Guests will then gather to enjoy lunchtime burgers served from Key4Life&rsquo;s Food Cell &ndash; a former prison van, turned burger van which gives ex-offenders valuable business skills and experience to help them get future work.</p>
<p>This afternoon, Lord Mayor William Russell will challenge companies to employ ex-offenders as part of the Recruiting from a Different Talent Pool conference led by the Corbett Network.</p>
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