Zest Foundation’s flagship programme involves a high-energy, transformational, residential course. This is where participants get to understand more about themselves and their barriers, and how to overcome these obstacles through adventurous activities, insights from speakers, and support from coaches. This unique programme is taught by those who are at the top of their game in these areas – many of the speakers coach some of the most successful people in the business, political and sporting worlds.
The summit programme explores areas of life often missed off the curriculum, with world-class speakers exploring topics such as limiting beliefs, goal setting, managing emotions, relationships, health and vitality, making a difference, entrepreneurship, and financial management.
With a wide range of topics and numerous challenges the week makes a real difference to young people’s perspectives. People who take this programme will become friends for life.
Any graduate of the Leadership Summit qualifies for the Zest Coaching and Mentoring Program. Each young person makes different discoveries and breakthroughs during the Summit – leaving with a real clarity and focus on progress to take back into their life. Keeping up momentum once they head back to normal day-to-day life can be difficult for a variety of reasons. Fully trained Zest coaches offer regular mentoring and coaching on a one-to-one basis with local, quarterly group accountability meetings. Our coaches take a professional - yet informal and patient - approach to the sessions. Typically they support and mentor young people in a variety of areas – including personal goals (health and vitality, financial, purpose, contribution, relationships, hobbies) and also offer various forms of employment and career support.
With Zest coaches and the support of other peers on the same program we create a group, all with the same goal, to make a difference and energise futures.
Helping people get their ideal job and opportunity is what we do - all day, every day. The recruitment business side of Zest has placed over 3000 people in roles over the last 15 years. Chris, the founder, has worked in the recruitment world for over 20 years - so we like to think we know what we are doing..
It is sometimes hard for young people to set clear goals. Be it a short-term job, career, apprenticeship, voluntary work or starting a business, support from Zest can help young people take a proactive approach. But even once they are clear on their ‘dream’ opportunity, actually knowing where to go and how and when to make the first approach can still be confusing and daunting.
The Foundation has developed a fun, interactive workshop which will give each young person clarity and offer them an opportunity to S.O.A.R in their chosen field.
The workshop consists of:
State Management – being in the best possible place you can, physically and emotionally.
Opportunities – understanding what opportunities are out there, whether voluntary, career or business.
Approach – how to make the approach directly to the decision maker, and make the approach stand out from the crowd.
Recruitment process – winning training and tips from experts for preparing for and smashing the interview; support right up to starting a new role and making the impact you are looking to make in your new position.
Following the workshop, trained coaches will be on hand to support each young person through every step of the way - over the phone and in person - throughout the first 12 months to ensure their future is energised to new levels.
Supporting young people into work is a focus for the Zest Foundation. Zest has partnerships with a variety of local businesses, primarily in the food and drink manufacturing sector: it’s what we specialise in. Each year we recruit, train and support Zest apprentices into new local businesses. The programme aims to give the apprentices life and employability skills, coupled with an insight into working in a variety of roles in the industry, with a view to gaining long-term opportunities.
“The simple truth is that I didn’t ‘get’ school, and school definitely did not ‘get’ me. I was in the bottom set for all subjects and the typical class clown. I was, however, able to achieve GCSE’s, A-levels and a 2:1 Business degree. The only way any of this was remotely possible was because I had a determined and patient dad who had faith in me and coached me to make sure that I achieved.
My father taught me just how powerful it is to experience someone supporting you and believing in you – even when you may not believe in yourself. This, in a nutshell, is why the Zest Foundation exists.
However, my father’s support is only half the story. I still found myself, at 25, with a failed business and more that £10,000 in credit card debt. It was at this point that I stumbled upon personal development. A whole new world opened up before me. A world where anything was possible, where my limiting beliefs could be changed, where my shattered confidence could be built again and where my comfort zone could be challenged for truly amazing results.
Since then, I’ve gone on to start and then run a successful business for over 12 years, I’ve founded a charity, made sales of £10m, placed over 3000 people in jobs, recruited and trained over 50 employees (a number of whom now earn 6 figure packages), acted as a Prince’s Trust Business Mentor, volunteered for a number of other charities, qualified as a youth and life coach, completed 5 half marathons, one triathlon, cycled the length of the UK from Land’s End to John O’ Groats – 960 miles in 9 days, camping along the way – and run 5 leadership summits for over 2000 young people.
By far my proudest accomplishment is that for the last 5 years I have been running Youth Leadership Summits both in the UK and as far abroad as Myanmar. On these 6-day residential programmes an amazing team of leaders, myself and Harry Singha (Chairman of the Youth Coaching Academy and Harry Singha Foundation) take up to 200 young people on a life-changing journey of transformation and self-discovery.
Please understand that I share these achievements not to boast but to highlight what we at the Zest Foundation believe is possible for every young person. If people have access to the right tools and the right support they can achieve anything. If I can do it anyone can.
I have had an absolute passion for working with young people and making a difference to their lives for a number of years. I embarked on my own career when I was just 19 and I have already progressed to working as a senior recruitment consultant. For me it’s incredibly fulfilling to help people of all ages find new opportunities and develop their careers.
I was inspired to support and help charitable causes to offer others the chances and support I was given during my youth. When I was a teen I was supported by great mentors that helped me to get back to the right path; people who encouraged me and supported me with the more challenging parts of life, and I would like to be able to do the same for others. My enjoyment comes from seeing people make major breakthroughs when they have been trying to find their own way without the aid of a parent figure or teacher.
I’ve been trained as a Coach via the Youth Coaching Academy, which has enabled me to take up a number of voluntary roles and work with some of the most disaffected young people in the UK. Coaching sports, working on adventure holidays and coaching at Youth Leadership Summits all allow me to both challenge myself and help young people push their own boundaries - as others have done for me.
For young people, making headway in life is not always straightforward. Sometimes they settle for second best because they think they are not good enough, they are too young, don’t have enough money or don’t know what to do. This lack of direction and belief in themselves can lead to feelings of anger and even poor mental and physical health.
Chris Trudgian, CEO of Zest Recruitment, set up the Zest Foundation to provide career and business opportunities to disadvantaged young people and give them a renewed Zest for life! Chris was lucky enough to be afforded a similar opportunity as a youth so he set up the Zest Foundation to be a vital force for good. The foundation has already helped lots of young people and will hopefully continue to do so
As a not for profit social enterprise, the Zest Foundation is dedicated to energising young people’s futures and providing opportunities and training in the key areas of employment, business careers and life.
We are based in Bristol and work with a select group of young adults, aged 18 to 25, who are ready to step up. Through fun and informal sessions, either one to one or group workshops, our team is on hand to guide them through simple processes used by some of the most successful business people and sports personalities in the world. Believe it or not, at some stage almost everyone has experienced similar breakdowns, blockages and frustrations in both personal life and their career.
By introducing specialist coaches we can provide young people with the highest levels of training and mentoring to get on the career ladder. This includes how to present themselves both on paper and in person to maximise their chances of successful long-term employment.
The foundation will support young people to build businesses and pursue an entrepreneurial path. This includes training and mentoring in all aspects of business start-up and development, as well as the provision of seed capital to kick start fledgling ventures.
Young people need to be equipped with the highest standards of leadership and self-development tools. The Zest Foundation allows them to vastly increase their impact in the world, whether they choose to become an employee or an entrepreneur.
As well as producing its own programmes, Zest Foundation supports and sponsors the Harry Singha Foundation. The HSF runs three day Youth Leadership Summits for 13 to 17 year olds, allowing them to experience life-changing and world-class training, interactive presentations and outdoor activities, fun, friendships, and the opportunity to build confidence and make connections.
The Foundation Team are currently working with young adults who are ready to make changes and learn the techniques and tools to step up. Please give us a call or send us an email if you’d like to get involved. We welcome support from individuals and businesses who want to help us help others. Please email Chris at chris@zestfoundation.co.uk if you’d like to find out more.