“Exemplar” NHS academy is leading the way
An NHS-run one-stop employment and support service for underrepresented communities has scooped a coveted Birmingham Award.
The BWC (Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust) Aspire Academy, which offers advice and help to people who are care leavers or have a diverse background and struggling to find work, won the Contribution to Education gong in the celebrations.
The Universal Family Programme - an initiative run by the service – was recognised for how it supports care leavers aged 16 to 25.
People Partnerships and Programmes Manager Lawrence Kelly, who leads the academy which also offers the Mentoring Circle Programme, a collaboration with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) offering advice and support to job seekers, said: “It’s such an honour to win this special award – being recognised by the Birmingham community for the work we do is a huge achievement for us.”
Ahead of the awards evening, a showcase was held to spotlight the services, which invited a host of representatives from organisations across the West Midlands – those who are already working in partnership with the Trust but others who wanted to learn more about the projects and explore how they can be involved.
Lawrence explained: “The event has been both a celebration of the incredible opportunities the BWC Aspire Academy provides to our communities and a showcase of the benefits of partnership working.
“We are fortunate to have dedicated and committed partners who share our values and desire to reduce health inequalities, develop local talent and nurture future health professionals. The Aspire Academy is a gateway for our communities to experience the world of work, transfer existing skills and develop new ones.”
Attending the event was Matthew Gordon, Chief Executive of Spectra, which delivers the Care Leaver Covenant, the national inclusion programme that supports people who have lived in the care system to live independently.
“This was an excellent event. The discussions highlighted how the Trust’s approach can be scaled and adapted across regions, providing a blueprint for effective partnership working. The Universal Family Programme exemplifies how strategic collaboration can create lasting, sustainable opportunities for young people entering employment.
“The event showcased partnership working at its best. The Trust’s Universal Family Programme partnership working stands out as a model of excellence in supporting young people into employment.”
Mahesh Chauhan from Birmingham Choices College, praised the work he has been doing with the BWC Aspire Academy.
He explained: “I look after 16 to 24-year-olds with learning difficulties, disabilities and levels of autism at the college. The team here have been signposting me to organisations where these young people can gain valuable work experience which will ultimately help when the time comes for them to seek employment.
“By providing us with these contacts, Aspire is leading the way in helping us to support these young people.”
Lawrence is supported by Aspire Lead Nav Sharma and Olufemi Kuforiji, Widening Participation Project Manager.
Raffaela Goodby, Chief People Officer at the Trust said: “It has been truly special to bring together many of the partners who work with Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Trust, to support people from our local communities with our love, care and attention, as well as learning opportunities and experiences of work. There are such a range of roles on offer within the healthcare sector where people can build long, fulfilling careers. By working in partnership with organisations across the Midlands, we are determined to make a real difference to young people within Birmingham and Solihull.”