You are invited for a day of exploration and foundation-building to maximise your early career impact
Blueprint for All has been based in Deptford for over 20 years, running projects and connecting with the local community to help individuals develop foundations of knowledge, skills and qualifications in order to succeed. And now, the charity has expanded its reach to a national level.
“We support community groups across the UK, working primarily with people from diverse ethnic backgrounds and those from challenging socioeconomic backgrounds, to maximise their impact and make positive changes for local people, too,” explains Hermione Penny, senior programmes partnership manager at Blueprint for All.
Selam Mengistu was a previous beneficiary of Blueprint for All’s Building Futures programme and is now programme coordinator at the charity. First hearing about the programmes on offer through word of mouth, she got involved in 2017.
The Building Futures programme supports young people from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds in pursuing careers in the Built Environment sector.
“As a former aspiring architect, I’ve experienced firsthand the barriers young people face, particularly those from underrepresented communities,” she explains. “Whether it’s limited access to professional networks or difficulty securing work experience and mentorship, these obstacles can be significant.”
During her time as a beneficiary at Blueprint for All, Selam took part in monthly workshops led by industry experts, she had a dedicated mentor for a year and access to a bursary to help cover some of the expenses of her architecture degree.
Blueprint for All “gave me invaluable confidence and access to a strong professional network, which I hadn’t previously had”, she says.
Selam adds that the programme “pushed me outside of my comfort zone and provided vital support and guidance”.
This guidance gap is one of many obstacles for young people early in their careers, as Hermione explains: “The greatest challenge we see is that people from a diverse ethnic heritage are underrepresented across many industries.
“We often find this is due to nepotism and that there are few accessible and wide-reaching processes in place for connecting young people to helpful career planning, advice and/or work experience.
“We also find a lack of awareness and flexibility of options, due to many young people being led to believe a university degree from a ‘highly rated’ institution is the only option for a successful future.”
In working to help combat this, Blueprint for All is hosting a Careers Fair at Peckham Levels on Thursday 17 October 2024, from 2pm to 7pm.
At the fair, you can meet with a range of companies across sectors including financial services, creative industries, architecture and design, retail, health and fitness, and gaming.
There will also be opportunities for those looking to craft their CV, find a new job, network with professionals or for those looking to make a career change. You can also get involved in a free taster session of Blueprint for All’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation programme to explore all areas of setting up your own business.
The Careers Fair also formally marks the launch of Blueprint for All’s digital platform, my.blueprintforall.org, “which connects talented and ambitious young people aged 16-30 from diverse, under-represented backgrounds with opportunities from employers across industries that would normally be out of their reach,” explains Hermione.
They also chose to run it during Black History Month as it’s “an important time for our charity to reflect and celebrate the strides we are making to create a society where everyone is valued”, she adds.
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