Case Study

Supporting young women to find the confidence to move into employment

17 Feb 2025

The number of school leavers supported by an employment group for Orthodox Jewish women has quadrupled with backing from Ingeus.

Goldstar Creative Marketing aims to give Charedi women the confidence to move from education into employment.

Since the Ingeus Central London Works (CLW) employability team began its support in 2022, the number of women helped has risen from 20 a year to 80. More than 80 per cent of them have gone on to secure stable employment.

That help has taken many forms with events including focus groups with employers, 1:1 mentoring before and in employment, Q&A panels for school leavers with business owners, and events to enhance team building skills like a multi-team bake-off contest to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim.

One of the women supported by the partnership said: “Since accessing support from Goldstar I feel so much more confident about identifying which jobs would suit me best and my chances of actually obtaining them.”

The initiative is part of the CLW mission to engage hard-to-reach London communities, including the Charedi Jewish people in the north of the capital and the Islamic community in the east and south of the city.

Senior Relationship and Integration Manager Paul Russell says: “The success of our CLW Work and Health programmes is rooted in our continuous engagement and outreach in the communities we serve.

“We have cultivated relationships with a diverse array of community partners over the past six years to ensure residents receive the necessary support.

“Our work with the Charedi community through Goldstar is a great example of what can be achieved.”

Founder and Director of Goldstar, Esther Sterngold says: “Through training, mentorships and courses, we aim to build confidence and self-awareness, enabling Charedi women to succeed as individuals, wives, mothers, and employees.

“We are very happy with the support Ingeus has shown us. We serve a niche and often overlooked sector of society.

“Partnerships and tailored support from businesses like Ingeus helps us to bridge the gap between education and employment, equipping young women with transferable skills and practical tools to succeed in the workforce and improve their life prospects.

“Our dream is to secure equal opportunities for those whose voice has previously gone unheard and whose needs have remained unmet until now. Thank you, Ingeus, for your support in making our dreams reality.”