Our diverse recruitment programme #BeMoreInclusive with urban receives recognition at the Business Charity Awards

Key details

Date: 21st Apr 2021

Author: Blueprint for All

Type: Partner

We are delighted that our partners at urban have been nominated by Business Charity Awards for our ground-breaking #BeMoreInclusive recruitment programme. The digital awards ceremony, taking place this May, will be recognising the work of the voluntary and not-for-profit sector, alongside their corporate partners who have worked together to combat the challenges and impact of COVID-19. Our long-standing partners, urban, have been nominated in the Professional Services category for an ‘outstanding partnership between a company in the professional services sector and a UK charity.’

 

With people from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds making up less than 7% of registered architects, something needed to change.

urban

 

Urban are recruitment specialists providing recruitment solutions exclusively for architecture and interior design roles across the UK, Ireland, Europe, USA, and the Middle East. Urban is a long-time supporter of Blueprint for All and shares our belief that everyone should be able to reach their full potential based on their skills and abilities, not their background.

The nomination highlights our #BeMoreInclusive diverse recruitment programme, which seeks to help young people from under-represented backgrounds get into architecture, and supports employers in the built environment industry to access a more diverse workforce.

“With people from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds making up less than 7% of registered architects, something needed to change” – urban.

The impact of initiatives like #BeMoreInclusive are even more life-changing in a world affected by COVID-19, where the environment for graduates looking for employment is particularly challenging.

Launched during the first lockdown, the #BeMoreInclusive initiative delivers through two streams of work. The first (Part 1 graduates) connects Part 1 graduates from Blueprint for All’s Building Futures programme with job opportunities in the built environment. Building Futures is one of our  flagship programmes, which currently has 145 alumni, and honours Stephen Lawrence’s desire to be an architect.

The second stream of work focuses on those with all levels of experience looking for roles as architects, BIM, interior designers and technical roles, and at all degrees of seniority. For these candidates, urban offers support with CV advice and interview preparation, and provides financial support to Blueprint for All. Urban also approaches architectural firms to  encourage them to considering #BeMoreInclusive candidates.

We know often within the profession, it can be about who you know, and what we wanted to do is take that to the next level and help people get their first position in architecture, working very closely with firms that are passionate about inclusion and diversity and recognize the value of this”’ – Mark Nagle, Operations Director for urban.

Despite these being challenging times, eight candidates have been appointed through the initiative, with others receiving support to find their own jobs and placements. #BeMoreInclusive is also on track to raise £20,000 for Blueprint for All in the first year of launching. Our Building Futures alumni, Olivia Jones, who is now working as an Architectural Assistant at Haverstock says, “Every working day is a great measurable learning experience and one I owe to the #BeMoreInclusive initiative. Their enthusiasm and confidence in me, gifted me with the reassurance that I am more than good enough to make it and deserve the same opportunities as anybody else.”

We are excited to continue our partnership with urban, and are proud of the recognition the #BeMoreInclusive initiative has received. At Blueprint for All, our work is centred around schools, universities, community groups, and employers to inspire and enable young people to pursue the career of their choice. If we want to be successful in doing so, it is important that we work with innovative organisations and businesses to address disparity of opportunity, so everyone’s talents, skills, and perspectives are valued. We can only achieve long term, sustainable change with collaborative efforts like these.

Keep up to date on the #BeMoreInclusive programme with urban via our socials below.

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