Corserv Partnership
November is Care Leavers’ Month, and Corserv is stepping up to be a model Corporate Parent.
Cornwall Council supports around 300 care leavers aged 17-21, and many of them are working, at university or engaged in productive activity. For a minority, however, getting that first step into a job can be a challenge. Although Cornwall is doing better than many other Local Authorities, the disadvantages that care leavers face, which can include disruption in childhood and missed education, mean that they are statistically much more likely to face long-term unemployment. This clearly isn’t fair.
When the Chief Executive of Corserv, Neil Edmond, met with care leavers to find out more about how Corserv could help with the duty to be a Corporate Parent, he and his team were quick to realise that care leavers, who have already managed a range of adversity, can make brilliant workers. Corserv and other public service companies acting as Corporate Parents inform their policies with the question, “Would that be good enough for my child?”. By connecting with Cornwall Council’s Leaving Care professionals and Carefree, the local charity promoting better outcomes for care-experienced young people, Neil and Corserv are doing everything to ensure that the answer to that question is “Yes”.
Over the last 6 months there has been plenty of activity to help care leavers access employment opportunities with this long-arm company of Cornwall Council, a company that includes Cormac, Corserv Care and Newquay Airport. This has included reviewing its recruitment policies to ensure that recruitment is accessible to care leavers.
In addition, a training day was led by 3 care experienced professionals from Corserv and Carefree so that Corserv managers could really understand how to be an inclusive employer and good Corporate Parent to care leavers.
Work experience opportunities so far have included visits to Castle Gate Quarry near Penzance and the Langarth construction site at Threemilestone. Care leavers were given access to the interior of both working sites and gained a real feel for the world of work with the friendly Cormac staff. Return trips to both sites are planned, together with a visit to Newquay Airport.
In addition to work experience, Corserv has developed a mentoring programme to support care leavers with CV and personal statement writing, interview skills, and confidence building. There has also been an opportunity for a care leaver to job-shadow the CEO of Corserv Solutions.
Though this partnership is in its early stages, it is already making a difference. One care leaver, inspired by their visit to Castle Gate Quarry, has succeeded in gaining a place on the Cormac Academy Programme, and several others are preparing applications for the next intake in January. By offering paid, on-the-job training and prioritising potential rather than qualifications, the training academy demonstrates how seriously the company takes its responsibility to care leavers and other disadvantaged young people. B, a young man who was part of Carefree Cornwall’s recent work experience visit to Langarth, said that he couldn’t believe that Corserv would give him the chance of a career despite few formal qualifications. “I can’t wait to apply to join the Cormac Academy,” he said. This is a great message to hear in Care Leavers’ month.