Linklaters named a finalist in 2022 UK Social Mobility Awards
Linklaters is a finalist in the sixth annual UK Social Mobility Awards (SOMOs), celebrating UK organisations in their efforts to improve social mobility, both within their workforce and beyond it.
Linklaters has been recognised in the Community Programme of the Year category for its partnership Eastside Young Leaders Academy (EYLA) as part of the firm’s Race Action Plan. The Category features programmes that are making a tangible difference to communities – raising young people’s aspirations, developing their skills and business awareness, and are helping them understand future education and employment opportunities – bridging the gap between the classroom and the boardroom.
Linklaters is committed to leveraging its expertise and resources to delivering positive social impact. Having worked in partnership with EYLA since 2014, Linklaters has provided funding and support to enable EYLA to establish a new Preparation for Employment Programme for over 300 young people – from some of the poorest communities in London. EYLA’s primary focus is to improve the life chances of disadvantaged and marginalised Black and minority boys and girls who are at risk of educational underachievement.
Commenting on EYLA’s partnership with Linklaters, Ray Lewis, Co-founder and CEO of EYLA, stated:
“The Linklaters and EYLA partnership is a fantastic model of synergy between the corporate world and the grassroots community sector. This was evidenced at our recent visit to Linklaters as our young leaders and Linklaters actively engaged in speed networking. Soft skills development and career insights are essential in preparing this future workforce for the world of work, ensuring clear pathways to future employment.”
Anne Collard, Co-founder and Head of Compliance at EYLA, commented:
"The partnership between EYLA and Linklaters is incredibly beneficial to our students. As our young leaders graduate from our programme we want to see confident communicators with the soft skills and qualities that employers are looking for; young people with ambition and drive who have been exposed to a wide range of careers and have the knowledge and tools to pursue them. We really value the time that the Linklaters' team and volunteers have afforded us to make this possible".Organised by societal change charity, Making The Leap, the SOMOs were the first national awards dedicated to social mobility, which aims to raise awareness of social mobility by sharing the innovative work of forward-thinking organisations working to improve it. Find out more about the Awards here.