The John Lewis Partnership has drafted in Action for Children and Who Cares? Scotland as it looks to mirror the work of the Timpson retail chain in supporting ex-offenders, by offering similar career opportunities to care leavers.
The two charities are to be represented on an advisory group set up by the Partnership to develop its Building Happier Futures scheme to prioritise recruitment of care leavers in the partnership.
Around one in ten Timpson employees are former offenders through its focus on supporting people with experience of the criminal justice system.
The two charities' chief executives, Action for Children’s Melanie Armstrong and Who Cares? Scotland Louise Hunter have been appointed to the Building Happier Futures advisory group, which also includes children’s commissioner for England Rachel de Souza.
In addition, through the link up John Lewis Partnership will support the two charities fundraising and awareness raising around issues impacting on care leavers.
“We hugely admire what Timpson has done in their employment of ex-offenders and ultimately, we want to have the same impact in time with care experienced young people,” said the Partnership.
It's official! We're SO proud to partner with the John Lewis Partnership to help children in care and care experienced young people ❤️
— Action for Children (@actnforchildren) October 18, 2022
This partnership will enable us to support and empower them as they make the transition from care to into the adult world. #FindYourHappier https://t.co/fY9K2t7qFh
"We believe this partnership will enable us to support and empower more children and young people as they make the transition from care to into the adult world,” added Armstrong.
“I am also delighted to be working with the John Lewis Partnership on the Building Happier Futures Advisory Group to start a national conversation on improving the lives of those in care and the life chances of those leaving care into adulthood and work. With our collective expertise and passion, I am confident that we will be able to make a step change in the way care experienced young people are supported.”
Hunter said: “There is only so much we can do within our own organisations to demand the right to better lives for Care Experienced children and young people. This advisory group brings together significant expertise, huge potential and, most importantly, real commitment work together to make a difference.”
John Lewis’ focus on care leavers follows pilot schemes in Manchester, Birmingham, London, Nottingham and Essex.
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