Networking group means business for young people

Professionals in Newark are coming together to help young people get ahead in their careers and beat the town’s poor record on social mobility.

In November, Newark was ranked one of the worst areas for social mobility in the country, with young people from poorer families said to be likely to remain poor throughout their lives.

The figures — highlighted in a State Of The Nation report by the Government’s Social Mobility Commission — showed young people in Newark were less likely to pursue further education and less likely to grow up to secure senior positions in work.

To combat this, professionals in the town are stepping up their efforts to give young people a helping hand.

Newark Young Professionals meets four times a year for evenings of informal networking and support. Now approaching its seventh meeting, the club is geared towards getting people at all experience levels to help each other succeed.

In Newark, 21% of people are in professional or managerial roles, whereas in Oxford, for example, the figure is 51%.

By helping young people gain the expertise, confidence and connections to succeed as professionals, the group hopes the town could overcome its negative reputation.

Organiser Francesca Tricarico, an accountant at Duncan & Toplis, said Newark Young Professionals was designed to be an inclusive and supportive community.

“Newark is a great place to live and work,” she said. “We just need to make sure that it is a place where everyone can succeed.

“As professionals working in the town, we have a responsibility to help each other and to help younger people who want to succeed in business. Everyone has gaps in their knowledge and everyone gets thrown in at the deep end at some point, so this is a great way of us all helping each other.

“The town already has the very successful Newark Business Club, which promotes broader business interests, but there is nothing else like this.

“Coming to a networking event can be a bit daunting and they are not always helpful if you are not completely confident in yourself or if you do not have a great deal of experience.

“Newark Young Professionals is much more relaxed — you can have a drink, have a laugh, meet people and be yourself.”

'They were really supportive'

When Mr Paul Andrew, from design and marketing agency Brand Newark, started going to the networking event he struggled with public speaking, but the club was able to help.

“Like most people, I was not comfortable speaking in front of a room full of people and my lack of self-confidence made the idea of doing a pitch or presentation in a boardroom terrifying,” he said.

“But when I first went to Newark Young Professionals, I immediately felt at ease. Francesca talked me into being a guest speaker at one of the events so I could get some practise.

“It was quite a test, but everyone helped me through it and they were really supportive.

“They gave me the confidence and advice that I needed and now I do not think twice about addressing a room full of people, meeting new clients and presenting my work.”

Mr Andrew said compared to other networking events that could be very business-oriented and formal, the young professionals group suited the way he worked.

“Here, you might make strong business contacts or you might become friends with someone who could help you in the future,” he said.

“I still go to the events and it is great to help other people who are in the same situation.

“It is definitely not just for young people either as there is a mix of all ages, which means there is a variety of experience.

“It is inclusive and it feels like a community. If anyone has a problem, someone will be able to help.”

The next Newark Young Professionals event is in the VIP room at The Atrium bar on Castlegate, Newark, on Thursday, February 22, from 6pm to 8.30pm.

Anyone who would like to attend should email francesca.tricarico@duntop.co.uk or go to https://www.facebook.com/NewarkYoungProfessionals/ for more information.