Yorkshire Building Society Celebrates Milestone in Partnership with FareShare

Yorkshire Building Society colleagues, including those from branches in Castleford, Pontefract, Ossett, and Wakefield, are commemorating the success of a pioneering partnership with food redistribution charity FareShare. This collaboration has bolstered the employability prospects of over 1,000 people across the UK, with over a hundred securing employment opportunities. The partnership's flagship program, Building Skills for the Future, aims to train participants in valuable skills, qualifications, and confidence-building techniques to help them move closer to employment. As of December 2023, 105 participants have secured paid work, and hundreds more have acquired new skills and qualifications.

Key Takeaways:

• Yorkshire Building Society colleagues have raised over £700,000 for the Building Skills for the Future program, aiming to reach £1 million by June 2026.
• The program has supported over 1,000 people across the UK in gaining employability skills, with over 100 securing paid work.
• Funded by Yorkshire Building Society and delivered by FareShare's network partners, the program offers tailored support in areas such as warehouse and kitchen work experience, food hygiene, and CV and interview workshops.
• Participants are referred through FareShare's network of over 8,000 charity partners and are supported into employment opportunities within the food industry and beyond.
• Susan Allen, chief executive of Yorkshire Building Society, highlighted the program's success in restoring confidence and helping participants move towards financial independence.
• Gareth Batty, Director of Network at FareShare, emphasized the program's contribution to addressing poverty and providing people with opportunities to transform their lives.

Statistics:

• Over 1,000 people have been supported through the Building Skills for the Future program.
• 105 participants have secured paid work through the program.
• Yorkshire Building Society colleagues have raised over £700,000 for the program.
• The program aimed to reach £1 million by June 2026.
• FareShare's network of charity partners numbers over 8,000.

Sources:

• Yorkshire Building Society, "Colleagues at Yorkshire Building Society Celebrate Milestone in Partnership with FareShare,"
• Susan Allen, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Building Society, quoted in the same source.
• Gareth Batty, Director of Network at FareShare, quoted in the same source.