Employment services sector recognised in 2018 New Year’s Honours List

Teresa Scott, the founder of career support specialist Kennedy Scott, has been awarded an OBE for her services to entrepreneurship and employability in the 2018 New Year’s Honours List. 

ERSA – the representative body for the employment support sector – has warmly welcomed Teresa’s achievement.  Kennedy Scott is amongst a number of ERSA members to receive recognition, including Shaw Trust’s Ken Olisa, Mencap’s Christopher Hebden and Peabody’s former Chief Executive, Stephen Howlett.

Poppy Jaman, Chief Executive of Mental Health First Aid England – an organisation that offers mental health first aid training in the workplace – has also been honoured, as well as several DWP officials, including Denise Horsfall for services to welfare in Scotland.

Teresa – who originally trained as a teacher – founded Kennedy Scott in 1989. The organisation was proud to be one of the first in the employment sector to offer apprenticeships.  It now specialises in supporting people with complex barriers to work to help them build successful and fulfilling careers. It has enjoyed significant success as a DWP Prime Contractor for Specialist Employability Support (SES) and as a Work Programme and Work Choice provider.

A highly respected figure in the sector, Teresa’s OBE rewards nearly two decades of dedication to the welfare and employability sector. In 2016 Ms Scott was also awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from ERSA and was appointed to the Board of Institute of Employability Professionals (IEP) in September 2017.

Commenting on her achievement, Teresa says:

‘I am humbled to be recognised in the New Year’s Honours list. After years of consistent hard work, I believe this award really is recognition of our organisation’s dedication to employment equality and the collective focus of our team. I am incredibly proud of the difference Kennedy Scott has made to people’s lives and it has come through the hard work and dedication of the staff.’

‘There is still a considerable amount to be done in supporting people with various challenges, including those with disabilities, in achieving long-term sustainable employment. I am committed to finding new ways to deliver this and to provide an even better service to those we support. I hope receiving this honour helps raise the awareness of the hard work that needs to be done in this area.’