Youth Employment Week is here and with the theme for the first day of the week being “Opportunities for All” which couldn’t be more fitting for Unity Works. Through our services, “opportunity” is the word we live and breathe – its even in our tag line.
Being the Manager for our young people’s service, Unity Futures, I felt compelled to share reflections, because over the past year I have seen just how opportunity transforms lives. In just over 12 months, the Unity Futures team have been working alongside incredible young people – many facing barriers that can feel insurmountable. But time and again, we’ve seen how the right opportunity at the right moment can spark confidence, ambition and belief.
That’s why we work tirelessly to create as many opportunities as possible. Collaborating with local authorities, educators and care teams. Building connections with community and youth organisations, fellow supported employment providers and most crucially, reaching out to employers.
Every new door, every new opportunity brings the chance for that young person to feel seen, valued and invested in. Sometimes, all it takes is one person, one conversation or one experience to help a young person light up and see their own potential.
We’ve learnt that opportunity doesn’t always mean a job offer right away. It means exposure, encouragement and the chance to try something new in a safe, supported way. And this is where work experience (more on this later this week) can be hugely valuable. It is one of the simplest, yet most powerful ways an employer can make a difference.
Yet we know many employers hesitate. They might say: “We don’t have time or resources to support someone properly” or “We love to help but don’t know where to start.”
And we hear them. We hear you. And we want to reassure you that it doesn’t have to be complicated, and you don’t have to do it alone. Unity Works can show you how you can make a difference – easily, flexibly and with our support every step of the way.
Can you be that someone, somewhere that enables a young person to light, recognise their worth and feel invested in? Join us in making employment more inclusive, one opportunity at a time.