JCT600 managers become Princes Trust mentors

20 staff at JCT600 have become mentors for The Princes Trust.

JCT600’s support for the charity includes providing opportunities for colleagues to work with young people through The Trust, providing coaching and mentoring support.

The JCT600 managers from its Bradford head office and from across the company’s 50 dealerships completed two full days of training last month covering what the Prince’s Trust does and how each of its programmes works, with a specific focus on how to mentor young people.  The JCT600 team could be mentoring young people following a short course with The Trust with the aim of supporting them as they move towards a positive outcome.  This may involve helping prepare college applications or CVs; practicing interview skills or simply coaching them about how to behave in a work environment.

Alternatively, JCT600 colleagues may act as ‘business mentors’, working with a designated young person who has received funding from The Prince’s Trust to set up a business and advising them  on all aspects of being self-employed.

Katie Saunders, HR director for JCT600, said: “Our colleagues are really excited about being able to get involved in this way.  A big part of our decision to partner with The Prince’s Trust was based on the opportunity for our colleagues not only to share their skills with vulnerable young people, but also to gain personal development by giving back to the community in this way as well as through our traditional fundraising activities.

“We’re proud that our first 20 JCT600 mentors will get to work with The Trust this autumn and hope that a further five will complete their training in October; our target is that they will support over 20 young people in the next 12 months.”

JCT600 is committed to providing work and training opportunities, including taking on more than 100 apprentices over the last three years to join its 2,300-strong team.  The company was also this year named in the Sunday Times ‘Best 100 Companies to Work For’ list in recognition of its outstanding levels of employee engagement.

Paul Rose, chair of The Prince’s Trust development committee in Yorkshire and the Humber, said: “Supporting a young person to set their own goals during a time of transition is often vital to their success so it’s fantastic to see the staff at JCT600 get involved at this grassroots level.  It’s just one of many ways the group are supporting us to reach thousands more disadvantaged young people across the North.”