There are certain things we know about career advancement and professional success. One of them is that no one builds a career alone. Another is that every successful person must keep learning, no matter how old or how senior they are. And we know too that everyone benefits from help at various points in their career– not least of all at the very beginning. And with these in mind (and countless other things we have learned during our 36 years in the recruitment business), we are delighted to announce that we have chosen to support New Horizon Youth Centre as our adopted charity for 2018-2019.

Since 1967, New Horizon Youth Centre (NHYC) has been fighting homelessness among London youth who are struggling with family breakdowns, domestic abuse, poverty, gang violence, or war and persecution in their home country.

Local authorities, inadequately resourced, are unable to help in all but the most extreme cases, leaving the rest to fend for themselves, often on the streets.

As these vulnerable young people attempt to get the education they need while also holding down minimum wage jobs– often doing all they can– they usually find they’re unable to pay skyrocketing London rents. These young people are striving to improve their lives, and yet sometimes all their energy is spent just trying to find somewhere safe to sleep at night.

This is when NHYC steps in. The Centre, located not far from Russam GMS HQ in King’s Cross, provides medical care,counselling, drug and alcohol support, hot food, showers, laundry, creative workshops, fitness groups, and help to find accommodation, training and employment.

That’s a lot! And NHYC can’t do it alone.

Which is why we have chosen to support the work that NHYC does by raising money to fund their part-time counsellor for 2018-2019 (£13,000 per year). At Russam GMS, we see every day in our work how having access to the right support can positively affect lives and careers, up to and including even the most senior executives in huge industry-leading companies. You might even be one of them– in which case you’re very likely able to look back and see where your own mentors, parents, advisors, and former bosses have helped you over the course of your own career (I certainly can). So we understand that for the youth of New Horizon, who are at a critical point in their young lives, having access to a counsellor can have an immeasurable effect on their futures.

We were lucky enough already to have had NHYC help us create our 2017 Christmas card, designed by a very talented young homeless person, below.

New Horizon’s CEO, Shelagh O’Connor, has said: ‘We are delighted to be working in partnership with Russam GMS who have already made a valuable contribution to our work with homeless young people. We are looking forward to building a mutually beneficial relationship over the coming years’.

We are looking forward to that too. And if you’re able to spare a few pounds towards this very important cause, please do so here.