Called Lenny and powered by hospitality recruitment platform Candid Hospitality, it aims to help young people secure entry-level work while making it easier for operators to employ under-18s.
Lenny was founded by Charlotte Heyes, co-founder of Nell’s Pizza, after seeing the impact that Saturday shifts had on her 14-year-old son Lenny, after whom the platform is named.
“I watched my son go from a typical, fairly quiet teenager into someone who got up every Saturday and went to work on time, with a smile on his face,” says Heyes. “As the weeks went on, he grew in confidence, maturity and independence.
“That’s what a first job does. It’s not really about the money; it’s about a young person discovering they’re capable.
“We built Lenny because too many kids in this city are never going to get that chance unless businesses like ours make space for it.”
Tackling declining youth employment
The launch comes during concerns over declining employment opportunities for young people entering the hospitality industry. According to the Government’s Milburn Review into youth unemployment, hospitality vacancies have fallen by around half over the past four years, reducing the number of roles in traditionally one of the biggest gateways into work for young people.
The platform is designed to remove barriers for employers by providing candidate matching, onboarding support and guidance on employing under-18s.
Operators are asked to create a free profile, offer six-month placements of between two and four hours per shift within legal working limits, and recruit participants through their standard recruitment, probation and disciplinary processes.
“As a father of three, Charlotte’s concept hit home immediately,” says Candid co-founder Nick Holorod-Doveton.
“Hospitality is the perfect place for teenagers to get their first taste of paid work.
“The matchmaking technology already existed within Candid, so building Lenny simply meant a serious focus on safeguarding and much less on previous work experience. By matching on values and availability, and removing CVs entirely, we’ve stripped out most of the friction.
“Hospitality gave so many of us our start. This is our chance to pay it forward.”
Hospitality businesses already signed up to the scheme include Maray, Alchemist, Burgerism and Dakota Hotels.
Young people can register with Lenny until their 18th birthday.
Hospitality businesses in Greater Manchester and Salford can sign up at hellolenny.co.uk