Employment specialists from national law firm Irwin Mitchell helped deliver a special industry day in partnership with the Leeds Rhinos Foundation for community club Rugby League players from across Leeds involved in this year’s Adventure Week in September.
Teenagers swapped their half term holidays for the one day training programme, which offered an insight into working at a large legal company and advice that will help prepare them for their careers ahead.
Located at the firm's Leeds office, the day included a series of workshops on the pros and cons of social media, drafting a CV, interview skills and money management.
The day finished with a chance to hold and take photos with all three of the trophies won by the Leeds Rhinos rugby league team during their hugely successful 2014/15 season.
The Leeds Rhinos Foundation is the official charity of the treble winning Leeds Rhinos and support many community projects in and around Leeds with a commitment to ‘changing lives through sport’.
The charity delivers a range of projects under three principles of sport, health and education, working alongside primary and secondary schools, community clubs and a series of business partners and sponsors including proud partners Irwin Mitchell to make a positive difference through support and guidance.
Peter Morris, Partner and family law expert at Irwin Mitchell said:
“It is a pleasure to run these workshops and pass on a few vital tips to teenagers who seem so enthused and intrigued by their journey ahead into the world of work.
“I am proud to be a trustee of the Leeds Rhinos Foundation and together through our five year partnership we have been able to provide invaluable experiences to youngsters who simply wouldn’t normally have these opportunities."
“They work tirelessly to help influence and positively change the lives of children and adults who go through the type of hardship we unfortunately see in a number of the cases we deal with."
In June this year Irwin Mitchell hosted the Leeds Rhinos Foundation ‘Friends of the Foundation’ launch which introduced a new way for businesses to support the charity by committing to a yearly donation of £500. The initiative enables companies to see the direct influence their donations have on the charity’s work.
The beginning of September also saw a joint initiative between the pair which sent forty community rugby league players from across the city to Carlton Lodge Outdoor Activity Centre in Thirsk. The annual adventure week, in it's fifth year in 2015 saw the teenagers enjoy a range of life changing outdoor activities.
Sam Horner, Leeds Rhinos Foundation Community Clubs Development Officer, said:
“We are indebted once again to Irwin Mitchell for providing another very valuable Industry Day for the young people involved in the initiative this year.
"The day of workshops gave them a very useful insight into the working world with some life skills that will hopefully stand them in good stead for the future. On behalf of the Leeds Rhinos Foundation and the community club players who attended I’d like to thank Irwin Mitchell for their hospitality and for providing another rewarding day.”
Business Development Manager Rob Cowling from Irwin Mitchell’s Leeds office, who worked with the foundation to run the 2015 industry day said:
"It’s fantastic that we can offer our support and run events like this at a time when these people need to start planning for what can feel like a daunting future in full time employment.
“The three trophies provided the teenagers with an exciting end to the day and it was great to be able to illustrate after the workshop, exactly what can be achieved, with hard work and determination."