Future eBulletin - January 2010

Entries are being sought to find the city’s most exceptional young professional to date as nominations open for the tenth Birmingham Young Professional of the Year (BYPY).

Applications are invited from anyone under 35 working in Birmingham’s professional, financial and creative services sector.
 
Darren Walker, an associate in the corporate team at Cobbetts, chairman of the BYPY committee and deputy chairman of Birmingham Future, said: “Previous years have shown that the city is brimming with top calibre professionals and we would like everyone to consider putting themselves forward or nominating a colleague or contact who they think deserves recognition.

Nomination forms are available from the BYPY website  www.birminghamyoungprofessional.co.uk. Entries must be received no later than Monday, 1 March.

To read more about this year's awards go to the Birmingham Future blog.

Photo : BYPY Committee 2010

Birmingham Future is Backing Young Britain by offering the Inspiring Futures mentoring scheme to Birmingham City University students for the third year running.

Over 60 Future members are taking part in the scheme for 2009/2010.

Backing Young Britain is a new Government campaign calling on organisations to create more opportunities for young people. Times are tough for young people who are leaving school or full-time education this summer. Yet they are the future of our workforce and it’s vital that they get the help they need now, to find a job, get training, or build their work skills and experience. We can and should all play our part.

To find out more about the Inspiring Futures scheme, please contact Kate Onions  or view the Backing Young Britain case study at http://interactive.bis.gov.uk/backingyoungbritain/young-professionals-inspire-birmingham-city-university-students.  

Do you have what it takes to help young people realise their dreams? Opportunities have arisen through the Princes Trust to support entrepreneurs aged 18-30 by becoming business mentors. As a business mentor you will have the opportunity to support young people setting up businesses in what is a very challenging climate.

The Trust provides start-up loans or grants to ambitious young people to help make their dreams a reality.  A business mentor is then involved for the first two years to support the young entrepreneur through the challenges of setting up a new business. 

The relationship goes both ways says Claire-Elaine Arthurs, chair of the community development committee:  “I’ve mentored a number of young entrepreneurs, from photographers to hairdressers. It is really rewarding to watch those businesses thrive as the entrepreneurs at the helm grow their skills and confidence.”

For more information about how to become a volunteer business mentor with The Prince’s Trust, contact Liljia Pressel, member of the community development committee.
 

"Intellectual property is actually quite interesting…"

So thought a pupil at Moseley School who on 25 January 2010 took part in a series of workshops provided by Birmingham Future volunteers.

24 "gifted and talented" 13 year old pupils at Moseley School had hours of fun putting themselves in the shoes, for a short time, of an intellectual property lawyer, a professional fundraiser and a surveyor.

The three interactive workshops were delivered during the schools January enrichment day on work based learning in order to give pupils insight into three professional careers.  To read more, click on the Birmingham Future Blog 

If you would like to participate in the Birmingham Future Moseley School Project, please contact Donna Codrington chair of the Diversity Committee. 
 

New for 2010, the e-bulletin and blog will be featuring the voluntary work that Birmingham Future members are all doing in Birmingham, promoting the organisations they are working with and encouraging more Future members to get involved.

To kick start the new year, Volunteer Spotlight focuses on Rob Langley, Marketing Manager at BCMG (Birmingham Contemporary Music Group) and chairman of the citizenship programme run by the Civic Society. Head to the blog to find out what Rob’s inspiration is and why he would encourage others to get involved in volunteering.

If you are doing voluntary work in Birmingham and would like to highlight your chosen organisation and the work you do in the Thrive pages of the Birmingham Post and on the Future website, get in touch with Chloe Edwards and sign up for a 'Volunteer Spotlight'!

Photo : Rob Langley

Want to get involved in an initiative to send unwanted football shirts to underprivileged children and adults in South Africa in advance of the 2010 FIFA World Cup?

The Strip Amnesty, supported by Birmingham Future and organised by volunteers from Birmingham’s professional services sector through the CSR movement Thrive, is hoping to collect 20,000 football shirts to distribute in the poorest districts of the nine cities playing host to matches this summer. Kits of any size, colour, team and era are welcome.

Volunteers are needed to deliver collection boxes in and around the city and to collect in advance of matches from professional clubs. For more on the initiative, go to www.stripamnesty.org and join the Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=183274210899.

To volunteer or request a collection box for your company, email info@stripamnesty.org.

The city’s young professional network is always happy to welcome a new face, and last week, as part of a programme of engaging with individual Future members, Jason Norris, Chair of the Talent Retention & Development Committee, met a new arrival who has fallen for everything Birmingham has to offer. Go to the blog to find out what brought Amrita Sidhu to Birmingham.  More information on the Talent Retention & Development page on the blog.

The membership committee have had a fantastic year in encouraging individuals from some of the city’s most high profile firms to join Birmingham Future.  As well as helping to co-ordinate the quarterly membership lunches and maintaining contact with our members, this committee is responsible for going out and talking to both new and established firms about how Future membership can greatly increase the profile in the city.
 
Now the committee is looking for three new members to join the friendly team.  Joining a Birmingham Future committee is a great way to increase your involvement within Future, and to continue to develop your network within the city.  If you are interested in becoming involved, please contact Gareth Poole, chair of the membership committee or Tina Robinson, deputy chair of the membership committee for more information.

The Diversity Committee is looking for one or two new committee members with an interest in diversity issues and a specific interest in assisting with organising and running Birmingham Future's participation in the enrichment days at Moseley School.

The committee aims to raise awareness of people's differences and similarities to promote fair treatment in the professions.

If you are an organised person who is looking to take an active part in Birmingham Future, has a head and the heart for diversity, and can assist with liaising with the school and contacting volunteers please contact Donna Codrington.

To find out more to about the Moseley School Project go to the Diversity page on the blog.

Birmingham Future’s City Centre Committee is on the lookout for two new committee members. The committee is very active with an optimum number of 10 members, all passionate about Birmingham and what makes the city and its young professionals tick!

The committee aims to hold six events per year, which address a very broad range of topics affecting the city centre. From the acclaimed bi-annual Development Update at the Council House, to a series of “Where to Buy in Birmingham” and “Business Improvement District” (BID) events. The committee also respond to up to the minute issues that face our city and members.

The committee are looking for two new members who can actively contribute to forward plan events while debating the next big issues facing the city. Once the committee agree the subject matter of events, responsibility for each event is shared between members & supported by the Birmingham Future events team, putting committee members in touch with a variety of high profile guest speakers and a number of local companies and venues to negotiate hosting arrangements.

If you are interested in joining the city centre committee, please contact Damien Byrne, chair of the city centre committee.

To see details of all of our Committees please visit the Committee page on the Birmingham Future website.

Snapshot of February Events

Wednesday February 10th - City Centre : Bank of England

Tuesday February 16th - Birmingham Future Pub Quiz

Wednesday February 18th - Personal Skills Development : Decision Making

Friday February 26th - Birmingham Future Bollywood Ball

Birmingham Future's 2010 events calendar kicked off in style at Metro Bar & Grill with a New Year’s networking event hosted by our community development committee.

The evening’s theme was New Year’s Resolutions but we were not talking about the latest detox programme. Attendees were treated to an inspiring and practical talk by former Birmingham Future Chair, Sarah Gee....

To read more, visit the Birmingham Future past events page.

Photo : L-R Sarah Gee, Indigo, Graham Nicoll, Barclays Wealth, Claire Elaine-Arthurs, HBJ Gateley Wareing & Community Development Committee Chair

3 December saw many Birmingham Future members heading to The Vaults at Newhall Place for the annual Christmas Party.
 
Members had an excellent evening of relaxed networking and delicious canapés, all washed down with some great drinks and festive party tunes.

To read more, visit the Birmingham Future past events page.

Birmingham Future’s diversity quiz and dinner was held on 18 November at Hotel Du Vin. The Diversity Committee, chaired by Donna Codrington, hosted the event and there was a special guest appearance from Marverine Cole - a born and bred Brummie who currently presents Sky News as well as running a TV production company.  

To read more, visit the Birmingham Future past events page.