Charity Landau scoop prestigious Award – plus news on their We See You campaign

Stoke-on-Trent based charity Landau has received recognition at the highest level after being awarded a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

The charity, which has provided supported employment and training services to a range of individuals for 25 years, is one of just 205 companies across the UK to be recognised with an award.

The charity has been handed the top business accolade for Promoting Opportunity
(through Social Mobility) for its impressive range of employment and training programmes and for helping thousands of people to turn their lives around.

Chief Executive Sonia Roberts said receiving the award was huge honour for the charity, which has a training site in Stoke on Trent, and supports 3,000 people a year across the region and beyond into jobs and training.

“It is an absolute privilege for us to be recognised by Her Majesty for our achievements and is a testament to the outstanding work of every single Landau employee and volunteer,” she said.
“We are incredibly proud of the work we do and the opportunities we create for thousands of individuals that want to turn their lives around but don’t quite know where to start. All of our services are heavily focused around delivering individual interventions. This means we work very hard to get to know every person who walks through our doors so that we can understand their personal aspirations.

“We then develop a pathway to learning or employment, which builds on their existing skills and strengths, so that we can help them achieve their life-long goals. So, it is a huge privilege for us to have been recognised in this way and I would like to extend my congratulations to the entire team at Landau. Without doubt, it is their passion and drive that enables us to achieve so much.”

Now in its 55th year, the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious business awards in the country.

This year, 205 businesses have been honoured with an award with 18 organisations being recognised for Promoting Opportunity through social mobility, a further 48 companies recognised for their excellence in Innovation, 122 for their contribution to International Trade and 17 for demonstrating a real commitment to Sustainable Development.

Winners are invited to a Royal Reception, can fly the Queen’s Award flag at their main office and use the emblem on marketing material for five years, and are given a grant of appointment and a crystal trophy.

 

 

Landau recently opened the doors to a newly dedicated hair and beauty training salon which is aimed at driving greater diversity in workplaces throughout Stoke-on-Trent.  Equipping students, with learning differences in the area, with combs and brushes they opened the doors to Smile & Style – which was unveiled by award winning stylists to the stars, Royston Blythe and Nick Malenko.

The Smile & Style salon has been developed by Landau at its Newstead training and enterprise centre in Waterside Drive, which has remained open throughout lockdown to support the most vulnerable in society and to ensure those with learning differences receive the support they need.

Landau works with military veterans and those with mental health and other personal challenges, which over time may have become a barrier to gaining employment or training.

Sonia Roberts said the salon supports students working towards achieving NOCN Entry Level, Level 1 and Level 2 Vocational Studies qualifications in hair and beauty.

“We are so excited the salon is finished and can open as a facility for students under current government guidance for learners taking part in vocational training. It’s a superb addition to our existing facilities at Stoke and means we can support those service users with an interest in the health and beauty sector to gain the skills and qualifications they need to go on and gain employment in the industry. Until now, the training for our students has been largely theory-based but with the salon open, they can put all their knowledge and skills into practice.”

In March of this year Landau also launched The We See You campaign to tell the inspiring stories of some of the 3,000 people helped into training or employment by the charity, highlighting the benefits to organisations which commit to a more inclusive culture.

Sonia added: “Around 700,000 people in the UK have been diagnosed with autism yet only around 16% of them are in full-time education. Launching the We See You campaign this week allows us to shine a spotlight on those people with hidden disabilities and challenges who with the right help and training can be supported into the workforce.”

Throughout the year Landau will be focusing on a range of workplace equality and diversity issues and encouraging employers to really ‘see’ the individuals and the talent pool available to them. With services are heavily focused around delivering individual interventions. It is intended for We See You to be about making sure people know they are seen as an individual, regardless of any challenges they may face.

To follow the campaign visit @landaulimited on Facebook, Landau Limited on Linkedin and @landaulimited on Twitter.
You can also keep up to date with the campaign online at https://www.landau.co.uk/

**Follow BabaBaboon on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram 

**Read more LOCAL News on BabaBaboon here  & please sign up to our Newsletter

**Tune into Baba meets… – BabaBaboon’s very own Podcast helping to share your community & business News