Strategy and Partnerships Inclusion Apprentice

We have a new and exciting apprenticeship opportunity within our Strategy and Partnerships Inclusion Team. In this role you will be responsible for supporting the team to deliver a wide range of priorities with a specific focus on developing the new Inclusion Strategy.

Kingston Council aims to be an exemplar in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).

The current strategy 'Inclusive Kingston 2021 -2025' sets out four key objectives and along with the underpinning action plan, represents a real increase in ambition for Kingston, looking closely at the wider determinants of inequality in our borough and putting in place the framework for a truly "Inclusive Kingston". The new inclusion strategy will be launched in 2025.

The Strategy and Partnerships Inclusion Team works to ensure that equality sits at the heart of the council's priorities. The team works across the Council on key corporate priorities and is committed to establishing strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

We are looking for a hard-working, motivated and enthusiastic person to join our apprenticeship scheme. We're welcoming applications from those that show potential, determination and a drive to succeed. In return we can give you the opportunity to kick-start your career under the management of our skilled and experienced staff, whilst earning, learning and achieving a nationally recognised qualification at the same time.
About You
We're seeking an apprentice who has keen interest in equality, diversity and inclusion and who is eager to expand their knowledge and skills in policy and strategy development as well as work closely with our diverse communities and partners in our Borough.

You'll have strong communication, attention to detail and good IT skills, alongside an enthusiasm for learning. You'll be ready to embrace new challenges and demonstrate creativity. You will need to be committed to your own personal and professional development in order to meet the changing demands of the role.

We offer a modern hybrid working environment which will allow you to work flexibly from multiple locations, with a requirement to work in Kingston for a minimum of 2 days per week. As a self-starter you will be adaptable and able to work as part of a team and confident to work independently without a high level of supervision.

Please note, in order to qualify for apprenticeship funding and be considered for this post you must meet the following criteria:

Hold a GCSE level C/equivalent in Maths and English and be able to present original qualification certificates
Hold a level 3 qualification
Have some work experience
Only apply for an apprenticeship unrelated to any qualifications they hold at the same or higher level than the apprenticeship they wish to apply for. The apprenticeship being applied for must be unrelated in subject and content from the qualification already held.
Not be enrolled on another funded apprenticeship or another funded further education or higher education programme at the time you start your new apprenticeship.
Have the right to work and study in England and be one of the following:
A citizen of a country within the European Economic Area (EEA) or have the right to abode in the UK and have been resident in the EEA for at least the previous three years on the first day of your apprenticeship.
A non-EEA citizen with permission from the UK government to live in the UK, (not for educational purposes) and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the previous three years before the start of learning.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.

This special place in South West London between the capital and the country has been a Royal borough longer than anywhere else - it is where the first kings of England were crowned.

Today it is a vibrant and diverse borough, with a long history and strong cultural and community heritage. Kingston's riverside location, fantastic retail offer, historic market place and church, parks and gardens all make Kingston town centre the vibrant space it is, and each of our district town centres (Surbiton, New Malden, Tolworth and Chessington) have something unique to offer.

Situated in Zone 6, Kingston is among the best-connected town centres in London - with direct train links from Kingston and Surbiton stations to Clapham Junction and London Waterloo, as well as Wimbledon for an interchange with the London Underground and Tramlink.

Kingston's people are innovative and entrepreneurial, and have a strong sense of community pride. The borough has been home to great industry and creativity for many years, reflected in assets such as the Rose Theatre, the International Youth Arts Festival and Kingston University, which boasts more new graduate business start-ups than any other.

We have seen tremendous generosity and compassion within our communities, particularly in response to COVID-19, which is a demonstration of Kingston's key strength. The council offers a strong level of support to vulnerable groups and those who need additional support, which has also increased significantly as a result of the pandemic. Like most places, the average age of our population is rising as more people are living longer, so we are working closely with residents to help them maintain their independence and further improve the cost effectiveness of our service to meet the ongoing rise in demand.

Kingston is home to people from diverse and interesting cultures and backgrounds, which helps to create the rich sense of community shared across the borough. In particular, Kingston has a large Sri Lankan Tamil community and is home to more people from Korea than any other part of the UK.