Reliance High-Tech and Caudwell Youth team up to help at risk young people fulfil their potential

Reliance High-Tech, the leading independent security technology integrator, has announced that it has donated £7,500 to Caudwell Youth to help mentor three at risk young people. The one-to-one mentoring and support it has funded will enable the recipients to learn to cope with and manage everyday life, build their confidence, and develop the skills required to re-engage with education, obtain work experience, employment and gain greater independence.

 

Launched in November 2022 by billionaire businessman and philanthropist John Caudwell, Caudwell Youth provides support that changes the lives of young people aged 11-24. It works to fill the gap in statutory support as a result of these services being overwhelmed and works across Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Luton and Milton Keynes, while currently expanding into Slough. Ultimately, it aims to become a national charity that will positively impact thousands of young people.

 

Reliance High-Tech’s relationship with Caudwell Youth is a result of the company’s four-year security contract with Luton Borough Council. Reliance High-Tech now oversees 220 cameras across a range of public spaces such as libraries, council buildings and community centres, in addition to 600 other stakeholder cameras. These are all monitored from a central control room, which is owned by Luton Borough Council but staffed by two full time operators and a CCTV manager from Reliance High-Tech.

 

As part of the tender process with Luton Borough Council, Reliance High-Tech had to demonstrate how it could offer social value to the area. Luton Borough Council’s five-year Prosperity through Procurement strategy sets out a progressive approach to how it uses its procurement process as a way to help benefit the local area.

 

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has always been of great importance to Reliance High-Tech and in addition to its support for the Blue Lamp Foundation, Armed Forces Covenant and SSAFA, it has also championed young entrepreneurs through the work of Young Enterprise. It was therefore keen to support Caudwell Youth, a charity doing great work in helping to change the lives of young people and provide resources to meet a growing need.

 

‘The mentoring provided by Caudwell Youth makes a transformative difference to the lives of at-risk young people by providing them with a guiding light amidst adversity,’ explained Alistair Enser, chief executive officer at Reliance High-Tech.

 

‘Through a supportive relationship and personalised guidance, mentors empower these individuals to navigate challenges, cultivate resilience and unlock their untapped potential. We are delighted to be in a position to augment our existing CSR objectives by supporting Caudwell Youth through funding the mentoring of three young people for a year.’

 

Mentors and beneficiaries typically meet weekly for 1-2 hours but talk or message more regularly. So far, the results of this interaction are highly encouraging, with 70 per cent of young people whose presenting need was ‘at risk of offending’ did not offend whilst working with Caudwell Youth, while 85 per cent have said their mental health has got better and 42 per cent said their social relationships have improved.

 

Karen Ironside, Caudwell Youth’s co-leader and partnerships director, concluded, ‘Corporate support is invaluable to us and the £7,500 provided by Reliance High-Tech will make a massive difference to the lives of three young people and enable them to be mentored through some difficult times. This will instil confidence, inspire hope and equip them with the tools needed to break the cycle of adversity, steering their lives towards brighter and more promising futures. We are extremely grateful that Reliance High-Tech chose to work with Caudwell Youth.’

 

To learn more about the work of Caudwell Youth, please visit www.caudwellyouth.org.

To help change a young life and join Caudwell Youth’s network of supporters email their partnerships team on partnerships@caudwellyouth.org.

Or visit www.reliancehightech.co.uk