As part of our commitment to the Oxford Innovation Social Value Charter, this initiative was delivered in partnership with Sector 3 Stockport and PIE (Pursuing Individual Excellence), with support from our Innovation Director, Bernard Page, who worked collaboratively with the charity to help shape and support the programme run at SBIC.
The initiative brought together six young people who are currently not in employment for a structured, engaging, and impactful employability session. Through a combination of practical skills development, confidence-building activities, and direct engagement with employers, the programme aimed to better prepare participants for entering the workplace.
By utilising our facilities, professional environment, and business community, the session delivered meaningful outcomes aligned to our ongoing commitment to creating positive social value.
Objectives of the Initiative
The programme was designed to:
- Enhance employability skills for young people not currently in work
- Build confidence in professional and social settings
- Provide exposure to real employer expectations
- Improve CV writing and interview readiness
- Facilitate meaningful connections with local professionals
- Support longer-term pathways into employment
Programme Overview
The session was delivered as a full, dynamic, and interactive programme, designed to maximise both engagement and learning.
CV Writing and Employability Skills
Participants were supported in:
- Structuring effective CVs
- Identifying and presenting transferable skills
- Understanding how to position themselves to employers
Speed Networking with Employers
A key highlight of the day included:
- Participation from local customers and professionals
- Opportunities for participants to practise answering questions
- Real-time insight into employer expectations
- A safe and supportive environment to build confidence
Confidence-Building Activities
A range of facilitated exercises helped participants to:
- Develop communication skills
- Increase self-confidence
- Engage more effectively in professional conversations
Use of Facilities
The centre provided:
- Access to professional workspace and meeting rooms
- A welcoming and inclusive setting
- Exposure to real working environments
Impact Delivered
Direct Reach
- 6 young people (16-24) supported through targeted employability activities
Key Outcomes
- Increased confidence in engaging with employers
- Improved understanding of recruitment and interview processes
- Enhanced CV quality and personal presentation
- Greater awareness of workplace expectations
- Development of practical, transferable employability skills
Wider Impact
Participants benefited from:
- Direct interaction with professionals
- Real-world insights into employment
- A supportive environment to practice and learn
This contributed to reducing perceived barriers to employment and increasing readiness for future opportunities.
The success of the initiative was driven by strong collaboration between all partners, with Bernard working alongside PIE to support the development of the programme and ensure alignment with wider social value objectives:
- PIE (Pursuing Individual Excellence) brought specialist expertise in supporting young people into employment
- Customers and local professionals who volunteered their time to participate in the speed networking sessions and provide valuable insight
- The centre team who provided facilities, coordination, and on-the-day support
This partnership approach has strengthened connections between the business community and local young people, enabled authentic and meaningful employer engagement and demonstrated the value of collaboration in delivering social impact.
Alignment to Social Value Commitments
This initiative directly supports the aims of the Oxford Innovation Social Value Charter, including:
- Supporting local communities through skills development
- Creating inclusive opportunities for individuals facing employment barriers
- Enabling pathways into work and economic participation
- Using our spaces, networks, and expertise to deliver positive social impact
Future Commitment and Next Steps
This session represents the beginning of continued engagement with participants.
Next steps include:
- Ongoing support and follow-up activity
- Additional employability workshops
- Further employer engagement opportunities
- Monitoring participant progress toward employment or training
Our aim is to ensure sustained impact through continued collaboration with PIE and the wider community.
Conclusion
This initiative highlights the value of collaborative, community-led approaches to delivering meaningful social value. By combining access to professional environments, direct employer interaction and structured, confidence-building activities participants were able to develop both the skills and confidence needed to take positive steps toward employment.
We are proud to support this work and remain committed to growing its impact through ongoing partnership and engagement and feel uniquely placed to be able to do this through our centres, customers and innovation directors.
Testimonials
“I felt the event went really well and everything was already set up for us which was extremely helpful. Everyone who took time out of their day to chat to our young people were brilliant and provided some real insight. We found the space really good and had a few comments from other adults with their young people how nice it was to use”.
Evie Coley-Stott
Pie UK Co-ordinator
“Thank you again for letting us use the space and finding the amazing people for the speed networking activity!
We definitely achieved some positive outcomes from the event”.
Ciara Hodson
Pie UK Co-ordinator
“Thank you again for the use of your space yesterday, and for inviting such a great mix of professionals along!
Ciara said the session went well and that everyone was brilliant with the young people, many of whom are shy struggle with social situations, so please could you pass on our thanks?
It sounds like there was a really interesting range of professions and stories in the room, which is exactly what young people need to hear. It helps them see that people take all sorts of different routes into their careers, and that there isn’t one right or wrong way to start.
Sometimes just hearing how other people found their way can help young people feel less stuck, less worried about getting it wrong, or not knowing where to start.
One young person from yesterday has potentially found a work experience opportunity (and possibly even some paid work) which is such a fantastic outcome.
It really shows that just an hour or two of someone’s time can make a real difference to a young person’s future.
We’d love to invite the professionals along to future sessions. We’ll be running more sessions like this, as well as network events where we will work together to co-create more opportunities for young people.
Please could you ask them to email me if they’d like to be kept in the loop and invited to future events?
Thanks again, we really appreciate your support”!
Shelly Metcalf
Strategic Support and Funding Lead – Pie UK
