Not many updates from us in August. However, we’ve been working on a lot of different things behind the scenes so to speak.
We’ve been doing some preparation for some resources for our champions. For example, earlier in August Leo Capella the campaign project co-ordinator for I Can Make It met with Riccardo Re, CEO of Adelante Dolmen an Italian co-operative based in Milan that hires people with disabilities and receives sub contracted work from other Italian companies under a law to hire people with disabilities there.
Because of the meeting, he gained valuable insights about how social value is used to help people with disabilities in other countries that he could pass on to the staff and other champions on the campaign.
I Can Make It has also been doing a lot of preparation for several meetings in September including one next Friday with Transport for London where we will be meeting with their Chief Procurement Officer, David Wylie. Transport for London not only do all the buying and commissioning of products and services for the Greater London Authority, they create a lot of job opportunities outside of London through their different supply chains (60,000 in all).
In addition, we are also pleased by the Greater London Authority Groups responsible procurement policy which states that:
“We will seek skills, training and employment opportunities […] by requiring our suppliers to target relevant opportunities to people experiencing barriers to employment such as long-term worklessness, disability, mental health issues, being ex-offenders or ex-service personnel, and communicating those opportunities to local communities.”
So, this is a meeting that we’re really looking forward to.
Later in the month we’re also meeting with representatives from the Mayor’s Office of Bristol City Council as well as council officers where we’re hoping to follow up on promises that Bristol City Council made to us in a meeting in May.
We’ve also been meeting directedly elected mayors for combined for authorities and our next meeting with one of these mayors is with Tim Bowles the Mayor for the West of England Combined Authority which will be taking place on the same day as our meeting with Bristol City Council.
Our champions will also be meeting with the procurement team of Gateshead Borough Council, as well as Darlington Borough Council and potentially more meetings with Hertfordshire County Council where we’re hoping to progress further on opportunities offered in a meeting in late July.
Finally we are also working with the House of Commons who run the Speaker’s Parliamentary Placement Scheme to developing a new project for people with disabilities. So, do watch this space and the wider Disability Rights UK webpage for more information.
And above all expect a lot from us by the end of September when if all goes well we’ll have a lot of progress to shout about…