17 Apr 2015
Young people in Wokingham Borough looking to land a coveted job or training place are set to get a helping hand thanks to a National Grid event being held to mark Responsible Business Week (20 - 26 April).
On Thursday (23 April) volunteers from the company will be spending the day at Elevate Hub in Wokingham Library working with local young people who are looking to develop their skills to help them move into employment or further training. National Grid will run a morning and afternoon employability workshop, giving local young people the chance to practise their interview skills and receive constructive feedback from a team of professionals.
The Elevate Hub is the place for 16-24 year olds in Wokingham Borough to get help, advice and support on employment, work experience, volunteering and mentoring. It was set up as part of the Berkshire-wide City Deal initiative and is managed by Wokingham Borough Council.
Malcolm Cooper, Global Tax and Treasury Director at National Grid, commented: "As Responsible Business of the Year, National Grid is keen to promote the benefits of employee volunteering during Responsible Business Week.
"Sharing our time and skills is one of the best ways that we can support the communities where we live, work and operate. It's a great opportunity for our staff to develop their own skills and broaden their experiences- it's also hugely rewarding!"
Sandie Evans, Manager at Elevate Hub enthused: "We offer employment advice for local young people to help them gain meaningful employment. What better advice can you give, than from people who are in a business environment?! It'll help bridge the gap between where they are now and help them think more widely about their future".
Last year National Grid was named Responsible Business of the Year by Business in the Community (BITC). The prestigious accolade is awarded to organisations which make efforts to operate responsibly in everything they do, making a positive difference to society and the environment.
National Grid was particularly commended for its employee volunteering programmes. National Grid works closely with Community Service Volunteers (CSV), a leading volunteering charity which co-ordinates and manages the company's employee volunteering programme and has organised many of the activities for Responsible Business Week.
Over the last year, around 3,000 National Grid employees were involved with volunteering, citizenship and fundraising activities with the charities and organisations that the company supports.
ENDS