Victims of modern slavery across the UK have been thrown a jobs lifeline thanks to the Co-op and charity City Hearts.
The Co-op, which has pioneered a job creation programme in the North-west whereby survivors of modern slavery are offered permanent employment, is now creating a national scheme that will enable other enlightened employers throughout the country to do the same.
With the support of City Hearts, a northern-based charity dedicated to supporting modern slavery victims, the Co-op is creating a national matching system that will enable other companies to work with other local charities to create jobs for victims of modern slavery and human trafficking.
Under the scheme, known as the Bright Future programme, the Co-op provides survivors with a four-week paid work placement leading to a non-competitive interview. If this is successful and there is a position available, the candidate will be offered a job within the Co-op’s Food business. Already 15 vulnerable survivors have secured employment and a chance to rebuild their lives and there are a further 19 at various stages within the scheme.
Modern Slavery is a major social and economic issue in the UK today, with at least 13,000 people estimated by the government to be victims of forced labour, sexual exploitation and domestic servitude – with the police saying that figure is actually the tip of the iceberg.
In light of this representatives from a wide cross section of businesses including: BP, Tesco and Body Shop, came together this week at a parliamentary event organised by the Co-op, to understand how they could join the Bright Future programme and introduce job creation measures to support victims integrate into communities.
They learnt how The Co-op has adopted a flexible approach in its recruitment process, via the support of City Hearts, in order to accommodate vulnerable victims who may not have references and the other paperwork usually provided by people seeking a job. This flexibility has provided the gateway for lives to be dramatically rebuilt, for pride to be restored and for potential crime to be averted within our communities.
The Co-op appreciates that its blueprint is not the only way of creating jobs for victims of modern slavery.
Pippa Wicks, the Co-op Group’s Deputy CEO, said: “This heinous crime will only be stopped by Government, businesses and society working together. By creating employment opportunities we can ensure victims stay out of the evil clutches of their captors.
“Working with City Hearts we are creating a matching scheme that will put charities, in any part of the UK, in touch with employers that are willing to support victims of modern slavery find the dignity that paid, freely chosen employment provides.
“We appreciate our approach, which has been successful in our Food business, is not the only way to create jobs for those rescued and I am sure with determination, joint working and innovative thinking, we can find further solutions that work across other sectors.”
Ed Newton, City Hearts Managing Director, said ‘We are committed and honoured to play a part in the journey of recovery for survivors. A job represents food on the table, a home and community to be part of and improved confidence. At today’s meeting, we hope that more businesses will come on board to see many more survivors fully restored.’
The Parliamentary round-table was introduced by Frank Field, MP, who said: “Modern slavery is the biggest injustice in the world today. Now that the Modern Slavery Act is on the statute book, the Co-op has set the pace on helping victims of slavery to begin to rebuild their lives through work. These efforts by the Co-op must not be underestimated and hopefully will quickly become industry policy.”
