Growing Ambitions ::: inspiring career talks for young people

Sally Davis, MD of award-winning UK volunteering initiative Growing Ambitions, was interviewed live on BBC News 24 on 21 July. Sally was invited to comment on Alan Milburn's report 'Access to the Professions' published this week.

The BBC News 24 interview went out live at 8:30pm as the station's top story of the night, and lasted six minutes. The presenter was interested to hear Sally's views on a number of issues around social mobility patterns among young people from lower income families and how the problem could be tackled.

In the Report, the government acknowledges that current careers information provision for young people as provided through Connexions is inadequate and praised the work of voluntary and third sector organisations for the roles we fill in plugging the gap.

"I was very pleased to have the opportunity to be interviewed on live television. We broadly welcome the Milburn report but were pleased to unpack during the questioning the importance of career information in raising aspirations of children in low income families, whether to enter the professions or other careers. Social mobility starts with information about what careers are available and what they entail and I was able to unpack how Growing Ambitions works and invite more employers to get involved in what we are doing.”

Growing Ambitions is a unique service brokering volunteer career speakers from all sectors, UK-wide – into education. Employers are offered their own customised volunteering portal for their websites and intranets. Users include blue chip companies such as Microsoft UK; major charities including the Shaw Trust, and membership organisations such as professional institutes including the Institute of Civil Engineering Surveyors and the Institute for Sport and Recreation Management.

Sally Davis welcomes all opportunities for radio and TV interviews, and speaking slots at industry conferences and can be contacted via www.growingambitions.org or on Tel 023 9266 1600 or through the Contact Us form on the website.

ENDS

For further press information or interviews please contact Sally Davis on 023 9266 1600.