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Graham-Blake: getting the most out of young African Caribbean people

Joel Graham-Blake finds work for ambitious youths

If you were to go to any community centre in say Handsworth or Lozells in Birmingham, you would be almost guaranteed to hear concerned talk about the fate of young black men.

There is real fear that we are losing a generation to gun crime, drugs and life in prison.

It's depressing to hear and it's not often you hear the stories of young men who are bucking this trend.

But 20-something Joel Graham-Blake is one such positive story.

Blake has won plaudits in the city for creating a ground-breaking business initiative, Cultiv8 Recruitment Ltd, that encourages large corporate firms to recruit young ambitious African Caribbean professionals.

The business in its current form first came to life through Urban Dreams, a scheme aimed at helping black and minority ethnic entrepreneurs to set up in business.

Before entering Urban Dreams, a programme designed to help young black entrepreneurs, Graham-Blake had concentrated his Cultiv8 agency on providing in-school pupil mentoring/personal development programmes, as he has done since its September 2003 launch. He was one of six candidates who made it through the rigorous selection process, which included successfully pitching his business ideas to separate panels of business leaders. This was followed by three months' one-to-one work on a business plan and market research in readiness for capital investment under the tutelage of representatives from an international corporation; in Graham-Blake's case the leading accounting and consulting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers.

SUCCESS

"I used to be feel intimidated to speak to business people," says Graham-Blake, 25, marvelling at his own progress.

Indeed, the business has so impressed the faculty at the University of Central England, they have agreed to market the business to its own student body.

Another who has been impressed with Graham-Blake and the progress of his business is Urban Dreams founder Joan Blaney who runs CETA (Community Education & Training Academy)

She said "Joel has success written all over him. Some candidates lacked self-confidence, but he stood out through his professionalism and by always looking the part. His presentations were clear and direct - he knows what he wants."

Urban Dreams has helped Graham-Blake to crystallise his own long-held ideas to work with the community and for the community: "I started working in corporate offices when I was 19, but I was de-motivated because their recruitment strategies were not inclusive enough. I was doing well, but was moving away from what was really important to me - the development of our own people."

After leaving school, he took a succession of low-grade and temporary jobs. But his desire to better himself was hindered by a lack of funds to finish his accountancy course. After a year as a credit controller at AA and three months organising events - outdoor pursuits, banquets, etc - for businesses in Worcestershire, he moved to the education advisor Connexions where he demonstrated his ability to connect the disenfranchised to new opportunities.

His first post was as an employment mentor - transforming youths, some beset by personal dilemmas, into confident, work-ready job applicants. "I worked with candidates from all backgrounds, which helped me understand different cultures, family relationships and personal motivation."

Graham-Blake worked his magic again as a mentor for New Deal candidates, helping the long-term unemployed and subsequently de-motivated clients into work. He also co-wrote a mentoring for volunteers course for the Open College Network, offered the syllabus to community groups and businesses, while training 100 volunteers himself.

COMMUNITY

Despite his early success, Graham-Blake, a member of the Birmingham branch of 100 Black Men, was bothered by what he felt was a lack of direction. "At this point I realised I needed to take it back to the streets, so to speak. I was comfortable - too comfortable.

"What I was doing was no longer a challenge to me. I wanted to leave and put everything into my community. I was willing to face not having short-term contracts and no guaranteed work because I didn't want anything to take me away from my community."

He had already launched out as JGB Mentoring Services, spending Saturdays, evenings and holiday periods offering personal development and assertiveness training, he left the security of staff employment.

Increasingly he realised how invaluable his early taste of corporate life was in steering his ship through the unsteady waters of self-employment.

"I have had to deal with clients doubting my competence because of my age but I challenge them to try me. I have the advantage of seeing things from the perspective of the young clients. Cultiv8's style is always professional and has the results to prove it. The demographics of Birmingham is changing and businesses need organisations like Cultiv8 that has the cultural knowledge that many of them lack."

Now balancing the recruitment and mentoring arms of his business, Graham-Blake is looking to build the Cultiv8 brand into an international recruitment agency capable of sourcing the best job candidates from anywhere across the world. "I want it to grow like a tree with roots stretching into many different directions but with a core that is nurturing and caring."

Published: 17 May 2006
Issue: 1218

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