Things are tough right now for young people, especially when navigating the job market. The pandemic has not only reduced the number of jobs, but also the chance for young people to forge new connections. To help, UpRising and One Million Mentors are offering a free employability and mentoring programme, Stand Out, open to young people across the West Midlands.

The Stand Out programme begins on July 26th and is structured with a 4-week block of sessions to support young people in  their job hunt, plus up to 12 months of personalised support from a trained mentor. The sessions are wide-ranging and designed to build young people’s skill sets, offer opportunities to grow understanding of the job market, and develop their network. Workshops and sessions focus on topics such as: how to create a CV that stands out, how to stay resilient when job hunting, how to use LinkedIn to create your online brand, as well as much more.

Alongside the sessions and workshops, Stand Out will provide young people with the opportunity to connect with industry experts and professionals from a wide range of different sectors. There will be career panels where participants can find out about the different jobs available, and how to stand out in a crowded recruitment process.

Stand Out will also match young people with a trained mentor during the first month of the programme. Mentors provide young people with personalised advice and support, helping them to develop the skills, confidence, knowledge and networks they need to achieve their goals.

Shazelle, a Stand Out alumni from Birmingham, said about the programme: “Stand Out should be something that everyone does and should be made compulsory! No one has ever given me this advice and guidance before. I learnt more in one week of the programme than I did in three years of university!”

To find out more about Stand Out and how to apply, head to WeStandOut.org.uk