A new employment initiative, pioneered by a group of environmental organisations and diversity recruitment champions, is on track to place over a hundred unemployed 16-24 year olds from predominantly Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) backgrounds into roles in the UK’s environmental sector. This comes after the scheme secured buy-in from 35 UK charities and organisations.
The scheme, called Race for Nature’s Recovery, has been created by a partnership comprising Action for Conservation, Generation Success, Students Organising for Sustainability UK (SOS-UK) and Voyage Youth.
Motivated to diversify the talent pool working in the environmental sector, the initiative will place young people currently in receipt of Universal Credit into 6-month paid placements with organisations who have signed-up to the initiative.
Facilitated through the Government’s Kickstart Scheme, the project aims to increase the number of people from diverse backgrounds working in what has traditionally been a predominantly white sector. The environmental sector has the second least diverse workforce of all UK sectors.
A range of leading environmental names have already committed to offering placements. These include the RSPB, Friends of the Earth, ClientEarth, and ZSL London Zoo. They join a 35-strong group of organisations who will be making 6-month placements available.
118 young people will be supported into roles during the scheme over the coming months, with the initial placements beginning in February. Additional rounds of placements will be offered up throughout 2021 and the partnership are aiming to place over 150 young people in roles by the end of the year.
The Race for Nature’s Recovery organisers intend for over 50% of these placements to turn into full-time roles. The jobs already on offer include roles in: fundraising, social media, research, marketing, administration, and conservation.
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Posted On: 12/02/2021