What is Talent Match?
What makes Talent Match
different?
Here is some information on what makes Talent Match different, how we take a different approach to supporting young people and succeed in making long term positive outcomes for young people and employers.
We are Talent Match.
We are the Black Country.
Since 2014 Talent Match has worked alongside young adults, providing safe places where young adults can go to receive intensive mentoring support, access information, advice guidance and a wide range of bespoke support packages.
The uniqueness of Talent Match is that it is led by the aspirations, needs and wishes of the young adults it is designed to support.
Young adults work alongside key stakeholders to realise shared ambitions, play the central role in deciding how the project is delivered, how it’s governed, and how it and its aims are communicated and how it delivers its outcomes. Young adults from the outset are involved in co-designing their own tailored support to develop personalised pathways, access bespoke support and the right advice and guidance.
Talent Match is a project for young people by young people and one that fully recognises that “if you carry on doing what you’ve always done you will always get what you’ve always got”.
Talent Match supports young adults who are in greatest need, face the biggest challenges and experience inequalities on a daily basis. Young adults in the justice system are predominately drawn from the poorest and most disadvantaged families and communities, have multiple problems and complex needs. Young adults who face long term unemployment, experience the care system or have been homeless often have poor mental health, increased levels of anxiety and feelings of hopelessness. All of this is now compounded by the global pandemic during which young adults have been adversely affected, with increased levels of mental ill health and increased unemployment.
Our experience shows that the Talent Match intensive, holistic, person centred approach works for young adults who are most vulnerable and furthest away from the labour market.
Working alongside young adults so that they;
- Take up training, Further or Higher Education or specialist support services e.g. dependency support.
- Have access to young adult led projects and peer support.
- Are able to access suitable, stable and safe accommodation.
- Are able to access ‘safe spaces’ within the community where they can go to access the individual support they need.
- Have access to quality vocational training and local employment opportunities.
We know from our work since 2014 that this approach will lead to young adults;
- Having improved confidence, motivation, optimism and resilience.
- Ceasing or reducing their offending behaviour.
- Securing employment or self-employment.
Young People Talent Match have helped
The project enables us to gain the skills and experience we need and allows us to do that with funding. They have supported me a lot during the year I have been with them and I have reached my goal in gaining employment. They have also given me funding for counselling as I struggle with mental health issues which has been really beneficial. I have achieved a lot of training and completed courses, one of which is still ongoing but nearly completed. I have work experience as well.
Without support from Talent Match I would not be in the stable accommodation that I am in now and also wouldn’t have been able to access the support I needed with my mental health.
I have found the support really helpful and wouldn’t have been able to secure my job without it. Have had help with everything, including interview clothes, applications and preparations. Thank you.
This has been a very good experience for me, thank you for always being professional and helpful. I only wish that I found Talent Match sooner, thank you for everything.
