The shaping futures team return from mumbai and delhi

The 2017 Shaping Futures team has returned from two successful trips shaping young lives in Mumbai and Delhi. The team spent the trip helping disadvantaged youth learn the art of hairdressing. It's seven years since Shaping Futures was started by a team of UK hairdressers and Schwarzkopf Technical Advisors in India. Since then over 1700 disadvantaged youth have benefitted from this social initiative that reaches the poorest young orphans in 25 countries. This year the hairdressers who gave their talent and time were: Lauren Tudor from En Route Hair and Beauty joined Rhys Davidson and Gemma Slade from Rhys Davidson Hair Design in Mumbai whilst Jane DeFrancesco from Jane Creative Hair and educator Lesley Mather headed to teach in Delhi. On this trip the UK initiative explored two locations expanding its global connections with social initiatives in both Delhi and Mumbai and taking Schwarzkopf Professional one step closer to its global goal of providing 100 training programmes in 27 countries by 2020. The volunteers were immersed for two weeks throughout October in top-level training. This provided the students with the foundations to achieve a hairdressing apprenticeship in India. Schwarzkopf Professional supports the initiative through skilled trainers and providing the necessary tools: model heads, products, appliances needed to teach a wide variety of hairdressing skills, including shampooing and conditioning, root retouching, various forms of cutting, colour theory and blow-drying. To wrap up the experience, all students took part in a finale hairdressing show to prospective employers and press to showcase their new skills and talent - hopefully helping to secure an apprenticeship within the industry. Ambassador Janet Maitland says; “The team this year worked with a new partnership with Plan International and I have the highest respect for the way that they all pulled together to respond to the huge need of giving people so much less fortunate than ourselves a chance for a new life.” To find out more about the initiative click here.