Socially Mobile graduation

Graduation days are always special occasions. Here’s a transcript of the speeches from yesterday’s event and here’s a link to the photos.

Thank you to everyone involved and congratulations to all the new Socially Mobile graduates.

Sarah Waddington

A warm welcome to everyone here today. We appreciate with the train strikes it has been more challenging to travel than usual so thanks for making the effort, especially those who have come from across the UK.

Huge thanks to Fenella Grey and the team Porter Novelli for hosting and providing refreshments and to Hannah for working with our wonderful programme leader Beth Thomas to make it all happen.

The community interest company Socially Mobile was born from a determination to improve diversity in public relations by helping those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, as well as under-served groups such as people with disabilities, the LGBTQ+ community, women returners; and our Black, Asian and ethnic minority colleagues.

We stand here in the context of a cost-of-living crisis, the like of which has not been seen in recent history. It makes highly targeted programmes like this more important than ever.

While it makes me furious and sad that private sector interventions are required due to a failure of political leadership, it makes me proud that we have made this a reality, are making a difference and that Socially Mobile commands the support it does.

Huge thanks go to our steering group of Richard Houghton, Farzana Baduel and Karan Chadda, our assessment committee and our teachers who generously share their time and expertise. Kate Hartley runs our live crisis simulation session which is always exceptionally useful for our students.

Particular thanks go to our Chief Assessor Ben Verinder and Chief Examiner Ella Minty – both of whom are accessible at all times and never fail to add value.

Our students are able to network and support each other in a safe online community space which is extremely well utilised. Thank you to Michelle and the team at Guild – your contribution continues to be second to none.

While Stephen and I provided the initial seed capital to get Socially Mobile off the ground, we wouldn’t be here today without the support of many generous individuals, all listed on the website, but particularly the support of our founding sponsors who not only provide capital but deliver insights via masterclasses to our students.

To Don’t Cry Wolf, CoverageBook, Curzon PR, Porter Novelli, Story Comms, Resonance and FleishmanHillard, we appreciate you all.

We have also had generous support in kind so thanks go to We Are Resource for our branded notebooks. I’d also like to give a shout out to Radioactive, Opinium and The PR Cavalry which supported the cause with their two summer PRties.

The very spirit of Socially Mobile is to Never Stop Learning and our industry bodies share this purpose.

To the PRCA and CIPR who provide a year’s free membership to our fully funded graduates, this will make a huge difference to every single one of them – thank you.

To AMEC which is ensuring all our graduates have access to its Foundation in Media Measurement and Evaluation Course – we are so grateful.

The graduation

Now to why we’re all here today – the graduation.

Cohort two, just like the first, has been a dream cohort.

When we first had our vision for Socially Mobile, we wanted to ensure we supported those who deserved it most. Our students have not let us down and have inspired and delighted us with their talent and appetite to learn.

Socially Mobile has been described as akin to an SAS programme and, don’t be mistaken, it is a deliberately fast-paced executive education course with robust marking. It’s not for the fainthearted or those who aren’t committed.  But our students, despite busy and demanding work and home lives, have risen to the challenge and more than this, they have excelled.

Which brings me to the moment where it’s time to recognise what each of our students have achieved.

As each of our students come up to receive their certificate, please put your hands together and offer your congratulations to:

Samantha Brimer, Sara Martinez, Rosie Ryves-Webb, Elizabeth Eyarhono, Donna Broughton, Bradley Grant, Liz Hinds, Rebecca Roberts, Victoria Tibbitt, Sophie Davies, Ryan Merriman, Mayowa Olutade, Girija Duggal and Jeremy Sharpe.

Well done everyone. We are so proud of you! Looking at you as our next generation of leaders, I feel so confident for the future of our profession and feel with your drive, help and what you all personally go on to achieve, the PR world will be a better and fairer place.

Stephen Waddington

As a visiting professor of practice, graduation days are my favourite days at university. Today is no different. It’s a moment to recognise achievement, reflect on learning, and think about what’s next.

What’s next is a driving force in every aspect of mine and Sarah’s relationship. Socially Mobile has been a learning journey for us both in developing a community, building a platform and creating a product, and developing the appropriate levels of governance.

As part of the governance, once cohort three is complete, marking a full year of training provision, we will publish our first Impact Report.

We can already share that feedback demonstrates our students are able to put their newfound knowledge into practice immediately within the workplace, and that the ten-week programme equates to a significant career intervention.

A number of students have had promotions, or secured new roles, and we hope this helps them navigate more confidently through these uncertain and unpredictable times.

Well done everyone! May this be the start of an incredible journey for you all.

Before we move to close today’s graduation ceremony, we wanted to mark the achievement of one student whose overall contribution to the programme went above and beyond and who became an integral part of the student community.

Ella Minty, our Chief Examiner, asked us to recognise an exceptional student in their attitude, development and contribution to the Socially Mobile community.

In the spirit of Never Stop Learning, our motto, the recipient of the Chief Examiner’s Award will have the cost of the CIPR’s Chartered Assessment paid for by Socially Mobile. 

While many of our students from cohort two are deserving, can everyone please put their hands together for Liz Hinds. Congratulations Liz!

Call to action

Cohort 2 is complete. Congratulations to you all. Cohort 3 will soon be underway and the deadline for applications is this coming Wednesday 24th August.

We’ve a final call to action. Please, if you know someone who might benefit from this SAS-type course in management communication, send them our way. We promise to give them a warm welcome!

Thanks again for coming and I hope you can stay around for drinks, networking and to toast our students’ success.