Last week was a very busy yet positive and interesting week for both Champions and Staff involved with I Can Make It.
On Monday, 24th July Leo Capella, Campaign Project Co-Ordinator for I Can Make It and Philip Connolly, Disability Rights UK’s Policy and Development Manager, met with James Palmer, the Mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority. This was to gain his support for the campaign and establish contacts with key decision makers in the authorities that make up the area. As a result, we’re hoping to work with the combined authority by helping to develop their apprenticeships scheme so that it is attractive to, accessible and helps create opportunities for young disabled people. We’re also planning to deliver an event to bring together key decision makers together in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area. More details will follow, so do watch this space!
On Tuesday 25th August Leo and our Champion for I Can Make It in Hertfordshire, Bethany Young, met with the Procurement Board of Hertfordshire County Council – the latest in a number of recent meetings with HCC. Leo and Bethany explained the campaign to board members, and thanked them for the council’s considerable progress in adopting the campaign in a relatively short amount of time. We’re hoping to work together on opportunities around their adult care commissioning services.
Finally, on Thursday, 27th July Philip and our champion for I Can Make It in Birmingham, Rahul Tooray met with Rachael Morgan, Procurement Manager and Meera Soneecha, Policy Advisor, for the West Midlands Combined Authority. The meeting was a very promising start to what we hope will develop into a longer relationship, and we will be meeting with Andy Street, the mayor for the West Midlands at a later date to take this forward.
So, a highly positive and productive week for I Can Make It in different target areas across England. And we’re looking for more champions to join us in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, to assist our work with the combined authority in creating new job opportunities for people with disabilities.
So if you are 18-29, have a disability or health condition, live in or around Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, and want to help to improve the career prospects of yourself and/or other young disabled people, then please get in touch with us on 0207 250 8193 or via leo.capella@disabilityrightsuk.org