London Fire Brigade has launched a new initiative designed to give young staff a direct say in shaping the organisation’s future.
The Young Voices project, developed in partnership with Entrepreneurs in Action (EiA), brings together employees aged 18 to 27 to share their perspectives through forums and workshops. Participants were invited to provide feedback on their career experiences and put forward ideas on how to improve development pathways and ways of working.
The project culminated in a presentation of recommendations to London Fire Commissioner Jonathan Smith and senior leaders. Smith praised the contribution of the group, emphasising the importance of listening to younger staff.
“London Fire Brigade is a great organisation that our employees are proud to work for, but it’s vital that young colleagues feel heard and valued,” he said. “The insights that our Young Voices provided have been unique and creative. Engaging with them has proven to me that the future of the Brigade is in safe hands and their work will help us to create positive career experiences for everyone at London Fire Brigade.”
Smith added that the Brigade offers a wide range of qualifications and development opportunities: “If you are starting your career, London Fire Brigade offers qualifications and development, a sense of belonging and the opportunity to contribute to the safety of Londoners.”
EiA CEO Derek Browne, a former Merrill Lynch Private Banking Partner, said the initiative showcased how new approaches to staff engagement could unlock innovation. “Traditional employee engagement surveys capture opinions, but our ‘ICAN’ methodology enables young employees to develop practical solutions and recommendations that senior leaders can implement,” he said. “Commissioner Smith’s commitment to being the first to implement our commercial methodology across a major UK emergency service demonstrates genuine sector leadership. This proves you can unlock Gen Z problem-solving in even the most traditional environments.”
The Young Voices project is part of the Brigade’s wider commitment to attracting and supporting young professionals. This year, it expanded its Firefighter Apprenticeship to include a pilot of a Level 5 Coaching Professional Apprenticeship and a Level 3 Accounts Assistant Apprenticeship. The Brigade was also ranked 62nd in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers, the only fire and rescue service to make the list.
All London firefighters complete a Level 3 Operational Firefighter Apprenticeship after their initial training, with more than 240 completing the course last year. The Brigade also sponsors fire engineering degrees, provides professional memberships, and offers 10 leadership development programmes through its Leadership Academy.
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