Examine who you're helping, and who you're not

I've seen a lot of people post a message: "If you’ve recently been made redundant (or are at risk), and we’ve worked together at any time, please get in touch and let me know how I might help you..."

The sentiment is entirely laudable, and only one of helping others less fortunate.

BUT

Young people are going to be hit - again - by the recession. They don't yet have that network. By helping someone that does, getting them access they might not otherwise have, in some way circumventing the system - could you be denying another young person that opportunity?

Likewise, and topically, people with more influence are less likely to be BAME, or female, or in the minority re: most of the other protected characteristics.

Does this kind of informal networking perpetuate that? That's almost certainly not your intention, it may not be the result in your case, but it's hard to argue that any kind of "jobs-for-the-boys" doesn't preserve disadvantage.

If we're really serious about levelling up, we need to get way beyond acts of intentional discrimination. We need to understand what little acts have unintended consequences.

Please continue to help people. But please be mindful of who you might not be helping.