Unloc & Verizon Business scoop impressive awards at the Better Society Awards 2024
13 June 2024
We’re thrilled to reveal that we and Verizon Business won two awards at The Better Society Awards 2024!
Burberry, Verizon Business and Unloc are joining forces to launch an event programme aimed at the development and empowerment of young women in the technology sector. The new initiative aims to challenge stereotypes within the male-dominated industry and develop the confidence, aspirations, life skills and career insights of young women aged between 15 to 19 years old.
Through a new events series, the three organisations will collaborate to provide the opportunity for young women to explore potential career options within the technology and fashion industry.
The four half-day events, held at Unloc’s Changemaker Studios space in London, will enable young people to explore a range of career opportunities within global organisations including Burberry and Verizon Business. They will also be connecting to their own local communities and schools.
Each event will welcome up to 30 young people from London-based schools and colleges, and will include executives from Burberry and Verizon Business who will share their career experiences. In addition an interactive ‘Changemaker Challenge’ will see small teams of young people team up to undertake various technology-related challenges, mentored and supported by a Burberry or Verizon Business executive.
During the Changemaker Challenge events, the participants will also have free access to Unloc’s range of Careers and Employability e-courses, encouraging their growth throughout the experience and beyond. This series of innovative events demonstrates Burberry, Verizon Business and Unloc’s continued commitment to giving back to their local communities.
Hayden Taylor, Unloc’s Managing Director said:
“Through this exciting new partnership we hope to encourage more and more young women into the tech sector, and raise their awareness of the wide range of careers which have historically been largely male dominated. It’s a real opportunity for professional growth, discovering enterprise, and opening their minds to the global possibilities in the technology market.”
“Thanks to the support and insight of our amazing partners on this project, Burberry, one of the world’s most renowned luxury fashion brands, and Verizon Business, a global giant in communications, we can provide valuable insight and advice that will help these young women move forwards in their career and trail-blaze the way for their peers.”
Sanjiv Gossain, Vice President – EMEA, Verizon Business said:
“At Verizon we are committed to nurturing and inspiring the next generation of leaders. Initiatives such as this programme with Burberry and Unloc provide an amazing opportunity for young talent to experience the workplace and explore how technology is the catalyst for future innovation. We can’t wait to see how this programme develops and the new opportunities it can provide for the talented participants.”
Mark Turner, Business Relationship Director, Burberry said:
“We are excited to be working with Verizon and Unloc to bring together promising young talent and inspire them to explore the possibilities of working in technology. We look forward to engaging with young women across the Changemaker Challenges, learning from their unique experiences while providing support, encouragement and mentorship to them as well.”
At the end of 2022, Unloc will hold a 2-hour curated roundtable event on the barriers and opportunities for young women in STEM careers. Several young people who have already participated in the Changemaker Challenge events will be selected to take part in this session, and the experience will be captured on film to share their insight with the world on social media.
Through innovative and change making programmes and events like this, the three organisations hope to support and broaden the skills of young women hoping to enter the technology industry, opening new avenues of possibility for future careers.
Notes for Journalists
Background
A report by PWC on Women in Tech looked at the experiences of 2,000 A-Level and university students in the UK. This highlights that the gender gap in technology starts at school and continues into further education and beyond. Key findings include:
Graduate Stats
According to data from the European Union’s statistics agency, Eurostat, males graduating in science, mathematics, computing, engineering, manufacturing and construction, outnumber female graduates almost two to one.
More females are now proceeding into higher education. However the rate of females graduating in STEM subjects, although increasing, is not increasing at the same rate of male pupils. According to UCAS data, just 35% of STEM students in UK higher education are women. The number of programmes concentrating on technology and digital transformation has increased and so has the number of male graduates meaning that little has changed when it comes to overall representation of female STEM graduates.
About Unloc & Changemaker Studios
Unloc was founded in 2013 by award-winning young leaders Hayden Taylor and Ben Dowling. The organisation’s mission is to empower young people to be innovative changemakers who seek to build stronger communities and sustainable businesses.
The organisation is focused on developing young people’s skills, enhancing their potential and boosting their determination to succeed. Unloc works towards achieving its mission by delivering inspiring educational programmes, including on entrepreneurship and self-employment, in our network of 100+ schools and colleges in the UK and beyond. To find out more about Unloc and all our latest news visit: unloc.org.uk/news
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About Burberry
About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology and communications services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $133.6 billion in 2021.
The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.
VERIZON’S ONLINE MEDIA CENTER: News releases, stories, media contacts and other resources are available at verizon.com/news. News releases are also available through an RSS feed. To subscribe, visit www.verizon.com/about/rss-feeds/.
The energy in our Changemaker Studios: Portsmouth space was electric recently as students from schools across Portsmouth gathered together for our second Council of Portsmouth Students Summit 2021/2022.
This in-person event is a great chance for the participating students to mix and get to know their peers from other schools in the area, as well as developing their skills and working within their Action Groups to bring about change in their school and community.
This year the Summit included representatives from 11 institutions including Admiral Lord Nelson School, Castle View Academy, Charter Academy, Mayville High School, Miltoncross Academy, Park Community School, Portsmouth Grammar School, Priory School, St John’s College, Trafalgar School, and The Portsmouth Academy.
The day included icebreakers, energisers and activities led by the students themselves, with the rest of the day tailored to the students’ thoughts, opinions, input and feedback.
Our Unloc Programme Facilitator Jessi, and the facilitator of this year’s CoPS, delivered a ‘masterclass’ on Confidence and Public Speaking. We considered what ‘confidence’ means to us, why confidence is necessary, and introduced the ‘Three-Legged Stool of Self-Confidence’, discussing how each leg representing Skillful, Responsible and Appreciation needs to be balanced.
We focused a little more on the Appreciation topic, and why, as British people, we tend to find it hard to accept appreciation and to say ‘thank you’. Whether we’re embarassed, don’t believe the compliment, or don’t know how to respond, Jessi encouraged everyone to share compliments with the members of their group, and asked the received to show their gratitude with a “thanks!”.
We dived into Public Speaking, considering the different styles, famous public speakers, and the positives (and negatives) of their style of communicating. Jessi challenged everyone to give public speaking a go in the form of ‘Just A Minute’ – speaking continuously for one minute without hesitation, deviation, or repetition on a subject of their choice!
Our first Guest Speaker of the day was Fungayi Zinyemba, the Manager of the Mental Health Support Team in Portsmouth, who discussed how MHST are working with their schools to provide help and support with the mental health and wellbeing of themselves and their peers.
It was great to see the students asking questions and starting conversations about mental health, whether that be their own, their friends, or general concern for how mental health is treated in schools and their communities.
Fellow Unloc Facilitator Larissa led an Activity on Debating, where the fundamentals of debate were covered before the students participated in a ‘moving debate’, using the space to show their opinion on hot topics. The students got stuck in, sharing their thoughts on the matter, with many of them utilising the public speaking skills we had covered earlier in the day, confidently sharing with everyone in the room.
Our second Guest Speaker of the day was Lauren, a former CoPS Student from Portsmouth High School who was involved in the forum last academic year. Lauren was invited to speak to this year’s cohort about her personal experience whilst in CoPS and the actions and changes her group were able to bring about in her school and community.
After Lauren’s inspiring talk, we split off into our Action Groups! These represented key themes or current issues, these were:
The students were given time to share their priorities going forward, led by the Action Group Leaders. Each group then presented to everyone else.
It’s amazing to know the actions these young people have already been able to implement, as well as their plans for the near-future to continue to bring about change in their school and community!
It was a truly inspiring event, and wonderful to see so many young changemakers from across Portsmouth gathered together and sharing their ideas in our new Changemaker Studios: Portsmouth space!
We can’t wait to see our CoPS members at the next Summit!
We’re thrilled to reveal that we and Verizon Business won two awards at The Better Society Awards 2024!
Last Thursday industry professionals from across the country gathered at Verizon’s slick London Hub in at MidCity Place, Holborn, for a Changemaker Moments event on Manufacturing.
During the February half-term and Easter holidays this year, 53 young people, in Year 11 and 12, from across Portsmouth participated in our ‘Portsmouth Inspires’ Programme, funded by NCS.
. We’re looking for a passionate & creative young person aged 16-25 in the Portsmouth or London areas to become our first official social media
We’re thrilled to reveal that we and Verizon Business won two awards at The Better Society Awards 2024!
Last Thursday industry professionals from across the country gathered at Verizon’s slick London Hub in at MidCity Place, Holborn, for a Changemaker Moments event on Manufacturing.
During the February half-term and Easter holidays this year, 53 young people, in Year 11 and 12, from across Portsmouth participated in our ‘Portsmouth Inspires’ Programme, funded by NCS.
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