Future Faces is the Chamber’s fast-growing network for young professionals and the leaders of tomorrow. It is designed to help develop and connect young professionals from all sectors across Greater Birmingham.
From September, United By 2022 will become a Future Faces Patron and start a new, two-year charity partnership with the network. It takes over this role from Birmingham Youth Sports Academy (BYSA), the former Future Faces charity partner.
As part of the new partnership, United By 2022 will open up 100 places for Future Faces members to join its dedicated Volunteers Collective, which works to bring communities together by supporting a variety of large-scale events across the region.
With over 2,000 members, the Volunteers Collective is made up of former volunteers from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. This is the first time the Collective has been open to new members, outside of the original Games volunteers.
With a shared passion for keeping the spirit of the Games alive, the volunteering group is gearing up to support a number of major upcoming events, including the European Athletics Championships 2026, The Invictus Games Birmingham 2027, and UEFA Euro28 – with Future Faces members now having the exclusive opportunity to play their part as volunteers.
In its new role as charity partner, United By 2022 will also receive donations from fundraising-led events and activities organised by Future Faces, such as raffles at its upcoming Greater Birmingham Young Professional of the Year (BYPY) Awards 2025, which will celebrate 25 years of the BYPY network.
Nicola Turner MBE, CEO of United By 2022, said: “We are excited to be the patron of Future Faces, the Chamber’s dynamic network for young professionals. United By 2022 is a charity that champions our city and creates opportunities for young people who live in our most deprived areas. Additionally, our staff have benefitted from the support available through Future Faces, so this felt like a perfect match!
“Birmingham is the youngest city in Europe, with nearly 40% of its population under 25, and the future looks bright. The region is poised to become a leading destination for major events and investment, and infrastructure projects are kicking off all around the city. Future Faces and United By 2022 share a mission to put young talent right at the centre of this growth.”
Sophie Poduval-Morrell, Head of Future Faces, added: “We love the work United By 2022 are doing and we are so proud to be working together, opening up opportunities for our members to get involved with some phenomenal events that are coming to our city, as well as a chance for our young professionals to champion and support the work United By 2022 are doing.”
The Future Faces partnership will help United By 2022 to continue to promote the work it does in Birmingham and across the region; raise awareness of the charity’s advocacy for young people facing barriers to support; and foster new connections with like-minded businesses and members.
For more information on United By 2022, visit unitedby2022.com, and for further details on the GBCC Future Faces network, go to greaterbirminghamchambers.com.
