Jemeela Quraishi is Social Impact and Innovation Lead at the CIPD. She is responsible for mobilising and equipping CIPD members to use their unique skills and insight to drive positive change via volunteering programmes designed to address key policy issues in the world of work. This includes the CIPD’s Steps Ahead Mentoring programme, re-launched in October 2020 to focus on supporting young people (18 to 24) whose employment prospects have been impacted by the pandemic. And additional programmes such as the Careers and Enterprise Company’s Enterprise Adviser programme and the Aspiring HRDs programme, which matches aspiring HR directors with established and experienced senior leaders to share knowledge and provide support.
Before joining the CIPD in 2014, Jemeela worked at the educational charity STEMNET leading on programmes including STEM Ambassadors and STEM Challenges. These programmes encourage Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths professionals to volunteer with schools to help engage more young people in these subjects and related careers.
Jemeela also spent over four years volunteering at the charity CARAS, where she helped run a youth club for refugee and asylum seeking young people. She is now a Trustee at Streatham drop-in centre for asylum seekers and refugees.