Community Wood Recycling welcomes new TOMS measures recognising the value of work experience
At Community Wood Recycling, our commitment to providing meaningful work experience goes back to 1998 and the earliest days of our first project in Brighton, when our founder Richard Mehmed recognised how volunteering with the project was changing the lives of people who until then had not thought there was a place for them in the workplace. Since then, we have developed paid and unpaid work experience opportunities across the country in response to local needs, set up projects to offer career coaching, and opened our doors for workplace visits.
We are delighted that the Social Value TOM System is introducing five new measures to capture the value of work experience programmes. These changes reflect the real need to address the youth unemployment crisis that has emerged from the fallout after COVID‑19, the rise of AI, and labour market shifts in sectors that have traditionally given young people a start.
For many whose working lives have not got off the ground, the hardest step is the one that takes them out of their bedroom, off their devices, and into the world of work. Our projects give young people the support they need to make this journey, whether it is the person who gets a lift from Dad to the wood store but needs some encouragement to get out of the car, or the group of teens who have not been at school or socialising for the last two years and, with the help of carefully planned activities, can learn how to be an effective team and start enjoying their time in the workplace.
The new measures are:
- NT131: Meaningful unpaid work experience
- NT132: Meaningful paid work placements or internships
- NT133: Personalised career pathway programmes
- NT134: Exposure to career pathways through group programmes
Work experience and placements at Community Wood Recycling provide opportunities that inspire. Young people do not just feel like they are being helped, they gain the confidence that comes from knowing that they are part of an organisation that is benefiting our planet and working towards a better future. With the support of the companies that work with us, they are given the opportunity to visit other workplaces, and we are able to host groups for visits to our stores.
These new measures will ensure better recognition of the social value our clients are creating when working with us.
Want to make an impact?
If you are an existing client, speak to your Client Account Manager to find out how these new measures can enhance your reporting and demonstrate the social value you are already creating.
If you are new to Community Wood Recycling, we would love to talk about how we can help you deliver real social impact while supporting sustainability. Contact us today to start the conversation.