Award-winning employability programme with the Harlequins Foundation extended into 2025

The new agreement will generate a minimum of £160,000 in social value and build on the success of our collaborative award-winning employability programme which has achieved many positive outcomes over the last two years.

An enhanced version of the programme in 2024/2025 will benefit 24 people from vulnerable groups, including NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) young people, the long-term unemployed and care leavers.

The programme will aim to:

• Improve participants' work readiness, career aspirations, and self-confidence.

• Increase awareness of the variety of careers within the waste management sector and promote them as viable career paths.

• Provide participants with access to relevant job opportunities and information tailored to their skills and interests.

There are a huge variety of careers at SUEZ that suit many different skills and interests and as a leader in our field, we are committed to creating accessible pathways into our sector.

The 2-week programme will be delivered 4 times over the academic year and will use a combination of workshops, training, site tours and expert talks to engage with the participants.

Find out about Igor's Journey

One of the participants from the 2023 programme, Igor, joined the initiative as a young man looking to improve his employability. Thanks to the practical experience and tailored support he received, Igor is now pursuing a career in the industry at Molson Group. 

Jack Barber, Partnership and Community Engagement Manager at SUEZ said: "At SUEZ, we are committed to helping people from all backgrounds discover their potential. By expanding our partnership with the Harlequins Foundation through to June 2025, we hope to provide even more participants with the skills, experience, and confidence to succeed. We believe the waste management industry offers fantastic career opportunities for everyone, and through this initiative, we aim to make these opportunities more accessible than ever before."

Matt Shillabeer, Head of Programmes at the Harlequins Foundation said: “Building on the success of our partnership will enable us to continue to offer genuine life-changing opportunities to the young people we work with. The commitment from SUEZ to enable us to deliver this programme to some of the most in need in our communities is incredible, and I’m excited about continuing to work together to deliver real impact for many more young people.”