Alumni are an untapped resource of aspiration for students: how to grow your network
For many young people in Britain, the circumstances of their birth determine the lives they go on to live.
This year’s UK A-Level results demonstrated the growing disparity between the most and least well off young people. As the Sutton Trust highlights:
“There are significant regional differences in attainment … in line with patterns of regional prosperity. Likewise, the gap in those achieving top grades has widened between those at independent and state schools. Comparing this year’s university acceptances to pre-pandemic levels, the gap between the most and least deprived pupils has widened and is now at levels last seen a decade ago.”
Encounters with relatable role models build engagement with school life and schoolwork, motivation to study and help young people connect what they learn in school with life outside. The latest evidence from the Careers and Enterprise Company shows careers education has double the impact for economically disadvantaged young people.
Why seeing 'someone like me' succeed is so important
No state-educated student can afford to miss out on the inspiration, connections, opportunities and self-confidence that an alumni network can offer. Not knowing ‘someone like them’ who has seen success in their post-education choices can restrict a young person’s knowledge of the options available, impede their confidence to pursue ambitious goals, and limit the connections and guidance available to them.
From discovering the different ways alumni can impact your students, to hearing from someone who has been there, done that and seen success, join us at our upcoming CPD session ‘How alumni can boost social mobility and raise aspirations’ on Thursday 16 November at 3:30pm. Learn how engaging with your alumni can improve student outcomes, hear real world examples of how this can inform strategic planning, and gather practical tips and guidance.
Hear from Mel, Careers Coordinator & Advisor from St Clement Danes School on how she draws on the support of their alumni network to help raise student aspirations across the school, as well as achieve Gatsby Benchmark 4.
“I’ll be particularly focusing on how an alumni-led workshop helped a number of Year 9 students grow in confidence, recognise and develop their skills, and find out about various career pathways.”
You’ll have the chance to network with colleagues from other state schools, colleges and education organisations about alumni activities and techniques, as well as get actionable insights into how to activate, build and connect your own alumni network.
Over the past five years, Future First has supported over 300,000 young people across the UK by providing schools and colleges with the technology, tools and support needed to mobilise their alumni networks, and build sustainable communities of volunteers that offer motivation, advice, guidance and support to students.
In doing so, we are helping schools to work in a way that independent schools have for centuries, unlocking this potential for the 93% of the population that are educated in state schools.
Find out more about activating, building and connecting your alumni.