Page 15 - Yearbook issue try out

Supporting others
Suppor
ting others

Not even lockdown could stop WCIT helping others. Three

members talk to MAXINE RICKETTS about their experiences

UPPORTING others is a cornerstone of WCIT, but the way in which our reputation has grown is
personally attributable to our people like Sir Kenneth Olisa, Alan Simpson, Steve Smith, Roy Isbell
Sand Emma Steenson.

“It’s been a bit like throwing a stone into a pond and watching the ripples,” says Maxine. “First the Hall, then
the members, then livery companies, charities and finally the Lord Mayor. Perhaps more like a virus?”

“Now there’s a coincidence,” suggests the Clerk.

Many young people – even if we think
they have reasonable access to IT –

are suffering from “social network
poverty”. EMMA STEENSON talks
about her pro bono work

MAGINE what can confront young people today.
What if they are unemployed, and potentially
Ifrom the third generation of their family to be so?
How do you break that mould?

That puzzle is made even harder since their social
network is often limited. These young people may Power of an Hour
have had few or no influencers in their lives to
give them positive inspiration, motivation or even when she left home in rural Ireland and moved to
information about potential careers. Until now, live and work in London.
that is.
She shared those life lessons, explaining how to
The London Village Network (LVN) has set up identify the skills you may not realise you have,
“Power of an Hour” sessions where volunteers and advising, once you have set your sights on
share insights with these young people into the something, to persevere and be prepared to step
work they do: what it really means in terms of day- outside your comfort zone, if that’s what it takes.
to-day activities, and what steps took them down From her time in recruitment, she added how to
their chosen career path. succeed in the interviewing process and the best
way to stand out from the crowd.
LVN believes it takes just ten of these sessions to
change lives, and is actively looking for a wide All of her detailed advice must have struck a chord
variety of “Power of an Hour” speakers to offer with the audience because they kept her back for
diversity and richness of experience. half an hour of questions.

Liveryman Emma Steenson is one such volunteer. “It is,” says Emma, “hugely rewarding to see how
In normal times, these sessions take place in a gift of such a small amount of time can offer
person, but lockdown meant Emma had to so much benefit to a young person preparing to
contend with blank screens, not only imparting take the next critical steps in his or her life, and
what it is like to work in the industry, but also exploring possible careers. I would recommend
calling upon her experience early in her career volunteering in this way to anyone.”
(continued on page 14)
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