Recognition has been given to Sheffield City Council's “See it Be it in Sheffield” campaign, for making significant strides in advancing social mobility in the city.
The campaign brings to life the world of work for young people in Sheffield and helps to raise aspirations and improve their life chances.
As part of the campaign, the Council works with schools, colleges and other educational organisations, helping to link young people with local employers and businesses to provide meaningful employer encounters and experiences of the workplace.
The initiative has now been recognised by The Social Mobility List 2024, which highlights the key contributors and initiatives that are driving social mobility in the UK.
The List celebrates 56 different organisations across 12 categories as well as 18 individuals across a further three categories, and five charities leading the way in social mobility.
Councillor Martin Smith, Chair of the Economic Development and Skills Committee at Sheffield City Council, said:
“It is our priority as a Council to ensure that Sheffield is a place that creates opportunities for everyone to thrive.”
“We want more people to be able to use their talents, create businesses, grow careers and have more money in their pockets, and we have a responsibility to provide more opportunity for this to happen.
“The Sheffield See it Be it campaign is enabling this to happen. Making real change and creating real opportunities for the city’s young people. I am delighted to see the campaign receive worthy recognition for this.”
The See it Be it in Sheffield campaign annually supports around 16,000 young people across the city to hear directly from employers about what the world of work is like, how to access it and how to thrive in it. It helps young people create connections with local businesses that have the potential to become their future employers.
The campaign also delivers programmes such as the BiG Challenge Enterprise Competition, which gives young people aged 11-13 the opportunity to test out their entrepreneurial skills in a city-wide contest, where they are tasked with designing and developing their very own business.
Tunde Banjoko, CEO of Making The Leap and Founder of the Social Mobility List said:
“It is my belief that social mobility is the single most powerful mechanism by which we can create a fairer and more just society.
“The Social Mobility List builds on the foundation that amplifying and celebrating social mobility initiatives helps drive forward the cause, thereby serving a broader and ongoing purpose as a key reference resource for organisations and decision makers dedicated to change.”
Image credit: iStock
