Abergavenny alumni raise aspirations of current students
At Future First we specialise in building and utilising alumni communities. We work with state schools and colleges all across the UK but our Alumni Programme Manager, Nia Morgan, is based in Cardiff, South Wales and whilst she loves travelling around the UK delivering workshops it’s always a special treat when she delivers workshops in her home country of Wales.
King Henry VIII Comprehensive School in Abergavenny have been working with Future First since 2021 to deliver a series of Careers Carousel workshops, where a host of alumni volunteers offer a whole day of their time to talk to current students about what they’ve done since leaving school, including the decisions they’ve made and why.
The school also uses its alumni network to support school-led events such as helping out on sports day, being present on GCSE & A-level results day and have also involved their Governors in training by Future First to build their alumni network.
The most recent workshop included an array of volunteers with different experiences – a Landscape Architect; a Senior Safety Advisor in the Nuclear & Defence sector; a Fraud Investigator for the DWP; a Product Designer and last but not least, an alumni volunteer who’s worked in highway construction, the military as well as surveillance & close protection all over the world.
One of the alumni volunteers, Darren said “It was great to visit my old school as well as talk to current students about my education and career pathways. I was able to have an honest conversation with them and explain how school wasn’t really for me which is why I went down the apprenticeship route first and then joined the military. I hope I’ve inspired some of the students to follow their dreams and passions and do what’s right for them.”
Their honesty about their experiences in school made them really relatable to the current students and their passion for what they’re all currently doing really shone through. Two of the alumni volunteers brought in their design portfolios which went down really well with the students.
What do the teachers think?
Jake Parkinson, Assistant Headteacher at King Henry VIII Comprehensive School said: “Our Year 9s and 10s really benefitted from taking part in the carousel of activities – the alumni were engaging and professional and the sessions were run with a sense of calm and control. It was a very beneficial session.”
Meeting new people can be difficult for some students and not all feel comfortable to join in, which enables our Alumni Programme Managers to learn more about them.
Nia said: “I had the opportunity to ask the students about their favourite subjects, hobbies and future career plans. They were happy to sit close to the groups and listen in and by the end of the workshop they sat with the other groups and asked their own questions which was a joy to see.”
The impact of students in Wales hearing from their alumni is so valuable as we’re working towards every state school pupil, being supported by a thriving and engaged alumni community, which improves students’ motivation, confidence and life chances.
Incorporating the Welsh language
Our workshops and some of our resources are now available in Welsh – please get in touch with Nia for further details – nia.morgan@futurefirst.org.uk
King Henry VIII is looking for former pupils and community members to join their alumni network, sign up here.
Contact us to discuss how we can support your school to work with former students.
