Wella aims to elevate the profession by providing stylists with beneficial opportunities and the tools to grow and succeed. The Hairdressersat Heart program enables stylists to climb to the next level by providing opportunities for educational and monetary assistance in the form of scholarships, artistic competitions, childcare tuition discounts and grants for community service.
Wella's Hairdressers at Heart initiative supports the stylist at four critical stages:
"Hairdressers at Heart is designed to meet the most essential needs of stylists and to provide continuous guidance and aid opportunities through the many stages of their careers," says Reuben Carranza, CEO of Wella North America. "Wella has always put the stylist at the heart of everything it does, and this initiative is a continuation of that mission. Without stylists' dedication, passion and loyalty to our organization, we wouldn't be here today."
BASIC AND CONTINUING EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS
Wella, in partnership with Beauty Changes Lives, is awarding scholarships both to aspiring stylists and to those looking to grow in their career. The Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Scholarship Program is a $1.5 million Procter & Gamble fund designed to grant scholarships to stylists who embody Vidal Sassoon's heritage of creativity, craftsmanship, professional drive and love of learning.
Scholarships will be awarded annually to basic level students to attend beauty schools across North America, as well as to licensed hairdressers for continuing education exclusively within the North American Sassoon Academies. To be considered, applicants must complete a written essay or a video testimonial demonstrating their commitment to Vidal Sassoon's creativity and discipline and detailing how they plan to honor his philosophy through professional achievement. Submissions will be accepted and housed at the Beauty Changes Lives scholarship web portal starting January 2013, and will be vetted by a panel of key industry veterans.
YOUNG TALENT
To cultivate top talent, Wella hosts annual student and new talent competitions and events, providing a stage for upcoming stylists. Through competitions such as International Trend Vision Awards (ITVA) and North American Hairstyling Awards (NAHA), Wella educates, inspires and mentors newly minted hairdressers to celebrate their creativity and foster development. These programs take place year-round.
WORKING HAIRDRESSERS
Wella supports stylists' work-life balance through an arrangement with the Learning Care Group, Inc. It offers stylists with children the chance to save money with a coupon for discounted childcare services, including back-up care. At the Learning Care Group, Inc., stylists' children can receive age-appropriate curriculum designed specifically for them. To be eligible for the Learning Care Group discounted tuition, children must be between 2 and 12. To qualify for discounted back-up childcare services, children must be between the ages six weeks and 12 years. (Available only in areas serviced by the Learning Care Group, Inc.. Use the location finder at http://learningcaregroup.com/about/ to find a location near you.) A discount coupon will be available for download at the Hairdressers at Heart website starting January 2013.
SALON OWNERS
Wella will host a competition that helps stylists and salon owners amplify their contributions to charity. The Wella "Supports Your Cause" Salon Competition will invite hairdressers and salon owners to enter for an opportunity to win a grant to subsidize the salon's efforts to benefit the local charity of their choice.
Through a video competition spotlighting salons' more compelling community outreach programs, 20 salons will receive grants of between $1,000 and $10,000 to help put on fundraisers, mount cut-a-thons or benefit the salon's charity of choice in their local communities. Salon owners and hairdressers will be eligible to submit entries, from January 3, 2013 through April 1, 2013.
For more information and official rules, visit www.HairdressersAtHeart.com.