Berkeley Capital has partnered with Milk Honey Bees to launch a skills programme for young black women in Southwark.
The six-month pilot aims to support and empower 16-18 year olds and expose them to careers in the built environment, as they plan their next steps into learning and employment.
Milk Honey Bees is a female-led charity dedicated to amplifying the voices of young black women in South London, and ensuring they have equal access to opportunities.
The partners’ programme offers the women tailored, practical support including workshops on CV writing and presentation skills. They will then go on to practice them by presenting to senior leaders from Berkeley, a FTSE 100 business.
The scheme is part of Berkeley’s wider investment into skills and training in Southwark, where it is bringing forward more than 1,100 new homes. Regeneration projects at Bermondsey Place (South Bermondsey) and Borough Triangle (Elephant and Castle) are set to create more than 1800 jobs during construction, as well as almost 200 new apprenticeships targeted at Southwark residents.
Cllr Evelyn Akoto, Cabinet Member for Health & Wellbeing at Southwark Council, said “I am excited that we’re able to support these young women, and I will be closely following their journeys on this excellent programme.”
Harry Lewis, Berkeley Capital’s Divisional Land & Development Director said “We are ensuring that existing residents of Southwark are the first to enjoy the benefits of regeneration. Hyper-local skills programmes like this make a real difference to people who live around our sites. We’re hugely grateful to Milk Honey Bees for connecting us with these women and look forward to seeing their next steps as we help them build the skills for their future careers.”
Sophie Arinde, Community & Partnerships Manager for Milk Honey Bees, said “I wanted the young ladies to be part of the Future Focus Programme because it’s vital that young Black girls are given the space, support, and opportunities to envision futures that reflect their full potential. Too often, their talent and ambition are overlooked, but by partnering with Berkeley to create intentional programmes like this, we are not only opening doors but also reminding them that they deserve to walk confidently through them.”
Pictured: Milk Honey Bees provides support to young black women, to realise their full potential