Looking for a new way to deliver social value, Boehringer Ingelheim, Health Innovation Manchester and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority created a different kind of partnership to improve the health and wealth of communities in Greater Manchester.

The Young Person Employability Partnership: Sharing Skills for Life, is designed to help young people prepare as they enter the jobs market. It aims to empower young people through self-awareness and self-confidence, helping them build resilience, understand their personality types and develop their interview skills.

Richard Deed, Associate Commercial Director at Health Innovation Manchester, said: “By working in partnership with large industry players, I truly believe we can solve some of the problems of society. Greater Manchester has a very diverse population. It has some of the wealthiest, but it also has some of the most deprived areas. And that’s why we want to provide opportunities to young people from those areas.”

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “I really think that this collaboration between Boehringer Ingelheim, and the Integrated Care Partnership, and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, demonstrates all of our commitment to better equipping our students, sharing skills for life, and raising awareness of the breadth and scope of careers within the Life Sciences Industry”.

Reflecting on the partnership, Karen Fox, Health Systems Engagement Lead at Boehringer Ingelheim, said, “In my 20+ years of working in healthcare, this project is one of the best things I have been part of. Seeing and feeling the change in young people makes me smile from ear to ear and makes all the hard work and planning worthwhile.”

Following the success of the Young Person Employability Partnership, partners are now looking to expand the scheme to include more industry partners and colleges, to empower more young people and communities across Greater Manchester.