NewsLEAP CEO awarded OBE

LEAP is delighted by the news that Tunde Banjoko, the organisation's Chief Executive and founder, has been made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2008 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to employment and training in London.

Tunde established the charity in 1996 and has steered it from one small room to an organisation that has helped thousands of unemployed people into employment. He brought the acclaimed STRIVE model to the UK in 1998, a “tough love” empowerment programme which teaches students the right attitude and behaviour to succeed in the job market. He is currently a member on the cross-Governmental Ethnic Minority Employment Task Force’s Ethnic Minority Advisory Group, chair of the Task Force’s procurement sub-group and is a board member of the New York-based charity, East Harlem Employment Services (originators of STRIVE). Tunde regularly gives presentations to participants on London Business School’s leadership programmes, has been a mentor to many young people and has helped instil teamwork, confidence and respect to many schoolboys through years as a successful coach in youth football.

Tunde said: “I am so honoured to receive this award, which I proudly accept on behalf of my mother and of all my colleagues who work so hard to deliver an excellent service to people who come to us often at their lowest ebb. This OBE is a major recognition of our contribution towards helping people who are sometimes written off, turn their lives around and fulfil their potential. We have given thousands of people the tools not just to get into work, but to be in sustained employment and flourish. We also provide employers with a quality free recruitment service, so we help businesses too. What we now need is to secure the financial support that will ensure we still exist long beyond March next year, when our current funding ends, so that we can continue to help many more people who are desperate for the services that only we currently offer"