In the latter part of last year, I had two conversations on the show about hiring from marginalised groups. The first was with Eugène van den Hemel, who is doing pioneering work in The Netherlands to connect refugees with employment opportunities. The second was with Darren Burns, who runs the ex-offender hiring programme for UK retailer Timpson.

Both of these conversations were eye-opening for me. They highlighted that now more than ever, employers need to challenge traditional policies and beliefs to think differently about hiring if they want to be genuinely inclusive.

I wanted to know more, and a few weeks ago, I was introduced to James Fellowes and Chance Bleu-Montgomery from Prosper4, who run an inclusive hiring portal called the Bridge of Hope. Their organisation helps bridge the gap between being job-ready and getting a job in many marginalised and diverse talent pools.

Their knowledge and expertise come from incredibly challenging personal experiences, and it was a privilege to give them this platform to tell their story.

In the interview, we discuss:

• Being in the business of changing lives

• Inclusive recruitment and inclusive employment

• Building a coalition of support services covering critical areas such as qualifications, finance and broader family support

• What does the talent come from

• Improving the odds both for job seekers and employers

• The huge benefits to employers

• Which employers are embracing inclusive recruiting

• Future plans

Listen to this podcast in Apple Podcasts.