On a red letter day for UNemployment ...... there is new hope.

This morning the latest UK Labour Market statistics were published. Those of a squeamish nature. Look away now.

ALL-TIME RECORD REDUNDANCIES: Let's start with the big headline story (well in reality just an after thought for British media) the UK generated an all-time record number of redundancies in the last quarter at a staggering 370,000 new redundacies . To be very clear, that is over a third of a million people who's lives have been shattered, families upended and finances crushed - all just before the holidays. Yes, I use the word shattered because that is what happens. Many families are now without a 'breadwinner' and loyal employees have seen their chosen sectors - such as hospitality and retail - devastated, beyond imagination.

Since the arrival of the dreaded and crushing C word, a staggering 819,000 paid jobs have simply evaporated and we are still awaiting the inevitable fallout from the bloody awful B word.

IT'S THE YOUNG WHO ARE TAKING IT IN THE SHORTS. The massive rise in redundancies has affected all age groups. But those aged 25-34 particularly affected - a shocking 343% increase in redundancies if you compare Aug-Oct 2020 to the same quarter in 2019. Nothing short of a national tragedy.

KEEPING DOWN... NOT LEVELLING UP: Young and BAME workers were more likely to be made unemployed post-furlough, according to a recent report by the Resolution Foundation. For BAME workers the figure was 22%, vs 9% for the general population. 

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. In 2018, having been made redundant yet again and after being unemployed for the seventh time in nine years - click here to find out why unemployment sucks - I decided to leave the corporate world to try and 'change the world'.

THE MISSING LINK: After extensive research, we found there was a missing link between charities - and now widening participation universities - and inclusive employers with jobs to fill.

After a successful pilot in the racing industry, we are thrilled to announce the Bridge of Hope inclusive talent portal is now up and running in beta mode, managed by Prosper 4 social enterprise, that previously operated Europe's leading jobs platform for ex-offenders.

THERE IS HOPE. The response to the new portal has exceeded our wildest dreams and after just six weeks the bridgeofhope.careers has on boarded over 50 non profit referral partners including household names such as Prince's Trust, St Mungo's, Centrepoint, and Walking With The Wounded along with countless smaller, more agile non-profits such as Key4Life or High Ground. In addition, we are thrilled to be helping numerous 'widening participation' universities and colleges (typically NOT in the Russell Group) the likes of Universities of Bedfordshire, Greenwich and Birmingham, several 'Queen' universities (Margaret and Mary x2) and progressive colleges such as W Suffolk College, to support their wonderfully gifted recent graduates and alumni. These graduates can have all the skills in the world, but in a socially immobile work place, without ACCESS it sadly counts for nothing. Especially during a global pandemic.

ACCESS, ACCESS AND ACCESS. If finding a house is all about location, than sourcing a career - especially for those with 'lived experience' is about access. The Bridge of Hope provides that all-crucial access featuring over 6,000 open job vacancies with progressive and inclusive employers across all sectors - that are still hiring. Employers that see the commercial upside of D&I are also savvy enough to see the fantastic 'untapped talent' available at scale.

The proof is in the pudding and to date over 17,000 highly resilient and talented candidates have now registered to the portal, with a staggering 2,650 job applications to date. But this is just the start.

Join us on our mission to make ALL employment Inclusive Employment. Non-profits and widening participation universities - be sure to get in touch if you have untapped talent seeking meaningful employment. Inclusive employers - contact me if you would like to source exceptional diverse talent from our amazing 'untapped talent' pools. Because EVERYONE deserves the right to employment.

E: james.fellowes@bridgeofhope.careers

W: The Bridge of Hope