Page 34 - SyI Quarterly 7

Corporate Social Responsibility

The Secure Futures Story So Far....
The Secure Futures Story So Far....

By Paul Barnard CSyP MSyI

On a very cold wintery day in January 2018, snow National Statistics young person employment and
lines the footpaths as I head, coffee in hand, towards labour market survey of 2017, the there is no direct
the London Stadium to a Counter Terrorism Step mention of security in the top ten jobs for young
Change Summit. Its at that summit that the idea for people.
the Security Institute’s Next Generation in Security
came to me, as I looked across a 300 strong audience I had heard of the great work the EY Foundation
lacking diversity and inclusion. have undertaken. They are an independent, not for
profit, social mobility charity, with vast experience
Over the next two years, the Security Institute’s Next running similar programmes for other sectors and
Generation in Security initiative, with support from have demonstrated the positive impact that these
key partners, enabled over 350 young people to programmes can have on young people.
attend security exhibitions and table-top exercises
across the UK. But although popular and creative, At a meeting with the EY Foundation, I knew instantly
strategically it was not enough to have a significant we had found a superb partner organisation to help
long-term impact on our sector. us deliver strategic change. The Security Institute
supported the development of a new initiative with
If we are to be truly an inclusive sector, at all levels, them, sponsorship was sought and several security
then improving opportunities for disadvantaged partners supported the programme and so ‘Secure
young people to launch security careers is Futures’ was born. The EY Foundation undertakes all
imperative. It is simple – business benefits are easy recruitment of course participants from their school
to see just look at the tech sector as an example. networks, all administration, HR and personnel issues
What is even more astounding to me are the sheer and safeguarding checks. The participants are paid
volumes of opportunities for a career in security, but to attend. Each place on the course is charged at
collectively we find that hard to describe. £2,000 which includes all the above services, project
design and development but at the end of the course
Is it any wonder that young people do not know we each sponsor will have had excellent exposure and
exist? Do not just take my word for it. In an Office of moreover, the young people will have a far greater
understanding and opportunity to develop security
careers.
As a not-for-profit organisation seeking to raise
standards across the sector, the Security Institute
recognises that we must collectively attract more
young people to the security profession and make
a career within security accessible to all socio-
economic groups.

Secure Futures, will help improve the life chances
of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds,
helping them develop their employability skills and
showcase the breadth of opportunities available
within the security sector. It is a model that has
worked with other sectors, but this is the first time
the EY Foundation has developed such a programme
with multiple employers under a single industry
banner.

It is really satisfying that this initiative has already
received widespread support, including Admiral
Lord West, our sector sponsors and other significant
partners.

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