Global investment company BNY Mellon hosted a special business showcase event for Seashell Trust at its One Piccadilly Gardens offices, to promote employing young people with disabilities.
Stockport charity Seashell Trust runs the Royal College Manchester, recently judged as outstanding by Ofsted, where it educates and cares for young people between 19-25 with complex disabilities, autism and communication disorders.
BNY Mellon has pledged £11,500, for up to three years, through a United Way Worldwide grant to support Seashell Trust’s Valuing Employment Now programme.
The breakfast network session was followed by presentations from Seashell Trust staff and from employees from catering services business Sodexo who discussed the benefits it has enjoyed since providing work experience and supported paid employment to students at its AstraZeneca site in Nether Alderley.
Steve Hayes-Allen, Manchester site executive and regional head, Northern UK at BNY Mellon, said:
“We invest in initiatives that we believe make our communities better places to live and work. This event, and the Valuing Employment Now initiative, are key to our ongoing community programmes. There are many benefits to providing work experience for people with complex needs and disabilities. We have a great relationship with the Seashell Trust and supporting initiatives like this, in addition to staff fundraising and volunteering, ensures we can make a real difference for many people.”
Left: Head of Royal College Manchester Bernie White explains the benefits of paid employment for young disabled people and the businesses which give them jobs.
Bernie White, head of Royal College Manchester, said:
“Our students consistently demonstrate they are able to develop work skills. Employment is a valued role in our society and adds significantly to their quality of life. It is the perfect outcome at the end of their full time education.”
Sally Moores, the college’s job coach, said:
“BNY Mellon is looking to offer a work experience placement for one of our students. It is a fantastic opportunity to experience travelling into Manchester, accessing public transport, working in the city. We have a target of 40 per cent of our leavers to go into some form of supported employment – either paid, voluntary or self-employed. The BNY Mellon/United Way grant will enable us to give both our college leavers and the companies longer-term support to ensure this exciting initiative becomes sustainable.”
Above: Left: Seashell Trust student Hani Warrich on work experience at Dean Print in Cheadle Heath, Stockport and right: Seashell Trust student Julian Douglas on work experience at Tatton Park
Attendees included Sodexo, Swiss Post, DWF Solicitors, Trafford Housing Trust, cleaning company Breanheath and catering business Restaurant Associates.
Seashell Trust gives the businesses involved disability awareness training, access to a job coach for six months, an employment network, assistance with sourcing 1:1 personal support and help to employ a more diverse workforce.
Sponsored by Marketing Stockport, Seashell Trust is holding a further event for companies to find out more about the employment initiative, and meet some of the students in work experience on site at Seashell Trust on Thursday, May 8, from 4-5.30pm.
Contact Sally Moores at 0161 610 0124 or Sally.moores@seashelltrust.org.uk for more details.
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