Hackney men inspire the next generation
Actors, sportsmen and engineers were among the inspirational Hackney residents who met with local young men for a careers workshop at Young Hackney’s Forest Road Youth Hub.
Over 60 young people attended the fourth annual Inspiring Young Men event, coming from local secondary schools City Academy Hackney, Stoke Newington Secondary School, Hackney New School and City of London Academy Shoreditch Park.
The day saw a record-breaking 30 local professional men and entrepreneurs from a range of backgrounds, sharing their stories and offering informal careers advice on their field of expertise in a bid to motivate and encourage young men.
The event began with a panel chaired by Hackney Council graduate trainee Solomon Rose, alongside guest speakers including professional footballer from Dulwich Hamlet F.C Nathan Smith, project manager from Global IT Solutions company Leidos, Declan Bissick and director of advertising company Creatures, Stu Outhwaite-Noel.
The audience then took part in small discussion groups to talk more informally with Hackney Council officers, apprentices, firefighters, finance experts, sportsmen, bakers and more, who all had their own inspirational story to tell.
The speakers gave valuable insights into their chosen career paths, talking about their real life experiences, successes and failures.
The groups also talked about the importance of perseverance, first impressions, eye contact and seeking positive support.
Events like these remind us that there are no straight lines when we are pursuing our goals, and I think it’s really important for young people to know that. I have been inspired by the courage displayed today, the young men have been so open and willing to ask difficult questions and take valuable advice on board.
Inspiring Young Men is an annual event designed to give young men in Hackney the opportunity to find out about a variety of career paths and the different pathways available to them in pursuing their chosen field. If you would like to find out more about volunteering with young people, contact xanthippi.karkantou@hackney.gov.uk.
For more information on Young Hackney and to see what other events they are hosting you can visit: www.younghackney.org or follow @younghackney on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter.