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Try a new way to get a job.
Interview by Jacqueline
Messih (before lockdown)
“We are Radical” is the slogan behind a pioneering recruitment agency shaking things up in the recruitment industry to secure employment for the underdog. Emma Freivogel is the co-founder and CEO of Radical Recruit and advocator for changing the way businesses source and employ hidden talent.
Emma explains this social recruitment agency in London works exclusively with, “Anyone underrepresented in the labour market, that includes homeless people, exoffenders or people who have left the care system. Our candidates come to us because they want to regain control over their lives, have financial autonomy and the choice to live how they wish”.
Emma has a vigorous screening
process that requires candidates
to speak openly and honestly.
The average time it then takes to
place a candidate into a suitable
job is eight weeks. To date Radical
Recruit has secured 30 placements,
including a chef, web developer and
restaurant manager. Candidates receive
support developing their CVs, are
offered interview preparations and
techniques, confidence building,
disclosure workshops and life and job
coaching.
Success story
For seven years Malcolm found
himself living on the streets of
London after he started self-medicating with alcohol and the family divided after the loss of his father. Struggling with mental
health and homelessness, Malcolm
considered ending his life. In 2017,
while sitting in a police station
Malcolm decided he would try and
get a job and take back control of his
life. After two years unsuccessfully
handing out his CV, Malcolm was
put in touch with Radical Recruit
and at his first interview with Honest
Burgers he was given a contract
to sign. In April Malcolm was still
working for the company.
- See if Radical Recruit can help
you find a job
www.radicalrecruit.co.uk
Radical Recruit works with people
in all levels of criminality from petty
crime to murder. More than half
of female prisoners are victims of
domestic abuse. Some prisoners
have failed to pay their TV licenses,
others have mental health concerns
or learning disabilities that have not
been identified or issues related to
drugs and alcohol.
Emma believes her candidates
have life experience that is
transferable to the workplace. “They
have resilience, determination and
grit that you cannot teach in the
classroom or on a job”. We try to seek out their potential, help them see
their potential and help employers
see what we see”.
Radical Recruit helps people
disadvantaged by their life experiences to
get a job. Photos taken before lockdown
and social distancing. © Radical Recruit
Each candidate has a story to tell and Radical Recruit helps them to tell their story. “Imagine being judged for the worst thing you have done in your life? We’d all be damned,” says Emma. “But most of us don’t have to, we’ve all been guilty of bad decisions that have hurt others or ourselves, most people get to move forward. And those with a conviction are not allowed to move forward even though society demands they be better citizens”.
Emma’s greatest undertaking has
been changing the way employers
think. “We find employers that
want to turn their commitment to
diversity, equality and inclusion into action. It’s no use giving someone a
job because you feel sorry for them.
We want to elicit systemic change.
We are changing the way employers
think about people with convictions,
people who have experienced
homelessness and young black
men. We accept people who are
essentially denied the right to work.”
Once a candidate has been matched
to a job and offered a role, Radical
Recruit continues to support them in
their employment.
Useful info
- As the #BlackLivesMatters campaign has shown when it comes to getting a job it’s not an equal playing field.
- Radical Recruit aims to shake up the recruitment industry by offering interviews to people who have all sorts of life experience on their CV, such as prison and homelessness, but have been overlooked by most employers. More info at www.radicalrecruit.co.uk
- workingchance.org is the UK’s only recruitment consultancy for women leaving the criminal justice and care systems.
- Top tips from Radical Recruit for
nailing a job interview: (1) Believe
in yourself, (2) Take action, (3) Be
honest.
December 2024 – January 2025 : Solidarity
CONTENTS
BACK ISSUES
- Issue 153 : December 2024 – January 2025 : Solidarity
- Issue 152 : October – November 2024 : Change
- Issue 151 : August – September 2024 : Being Heard
- Issue 150 : June – July 2024 : Reflections
- Issue 149 : April – May 2024 : Compassion
- Issue 148 : February – March 2024 : The little things
- Issue 147 : December 2023 – January 2024 : Next steps
- Issue 146 : October 2023 – November 2023 : Kind acts
- Issue 145 : August 2023 – September 2023 : Mental health
- Issue 144 : June 2023 – July 2023 : Community
- Issue 143 : April 2023 - May 2023 : Hope springs
- Issue 142 : February 2023 - March 2023 : New Beginnings
- Issue 141 : December 2022 - January 2023 : Winter Homeless
- Issue 140 : October - November 2022 : Resolve
- Issue 139 : August - September 2022 : Creativity
- Issue 138 : June - July 2022 : Practical advice
- Issue 137 : April - May 2022 : Connection
- Issue 136 : February - March 2022 : RESPECT
- Issue 135 : Dec 2021 - Jan 2022 : OPPORTUNITY
- Issue 134 : September-October 2021 : Losses and gains
- Issue 133 : July-August 2021 : Know Your Rights
- Issue 132 : May-June 2021 : Access to Healthcare
- Issue 131 : Mar-Apr 2021 : SOLUTIONS
- Issue 130 : Jan-Feb 2021 : CHANGE
- Issue 129 : Nov-Dec 2020 : UNBELIEVABLE
- Issue 128 : Sep-Oct 2020 : COPING
- Issue 127 : Jul-Aug 2020 : HOPE
- Issue 126 : Health & Wellbeing in a Crisis
- Issue 125 : Mar-Apr 2020 : MOVING ON
- Issue 124 : Jan-Feb 2020 : STREET FOOD
- Issue 123 : Nov-Dec 2019 : HOSTELS
- Issue 122 : Sep 2019 : DEATH ON THE STREETS
- Issue 121 : July-Aug 2019 : INVISIBLE YOUTH
- Issue 120 : May-June 2019 : RECOVERY
- Issue 119 : Mar-Apr 2019 : WELLBEING
- Issue 118 : Jan-Feb 2019 : WORKING HOMELESS
- Issue 117 : Nov-Dec 2018 : HER STORY
- Issue 116 : Sept-Oct 2018 : TOILET TALK
- Issue 115 : July-Aug 2018 : HIDDEN HOMELESS
- Issue 114 : May-Jun 2018 : REBUILD YOUR LIFE
- Issue 113 : Mar–Apr 2018 : REMEMBRANCE
- Issue 112 : Jan-Feb 2018
- Issue 111 : Nov-Dec 2017
- Issue 110 : Sept-Oct 2017
- Issue 109 : July-Aug 2017
- Issue 108 : Apr-May 2017
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- Issue 96 : April 2015 [Mini Issue]
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