“Alumni helped me think differently about my future”
Students from St Clement Danes School in Rickmansworth were “transformed” by the end of their three hour alumni-led workshop in resilience.
Melanie Garwood Evans, Careers Co-ordinator and Advisor, recently spoke at Future First’s CPD session, “how alumni can boost social mobility and raise aspirations”, about her experience of connecting her students with alumni volunteers in the classroom.
“As career professionals we put on and take part in lots of different events, but the Future First workshop was one of my favourites purely because you can see the change in the students in just a few hours.”
Targeting students in need
35 Year 9 students were identified to take part in the workshop due to either a lack of confidence, having special educational needs, being eligible for pupil premium, or having behavioural issues.
They were joined by eight alumni volunteers from a whole range of different backgrounds, pathways, and careers. Alumni shared their personal experiences during a careers carousel activity, where students could ask questions about their job or their pathways. Many of them didn’t have a linear journey and were able to demonstrate how you can still find success if you’re not sure what you want to do, or you change your mind later down the line.
No career path is straightforward
“A good example was one alumni who worked in the business sector for Warner Bros studio, and now they’re retraining and doing an apprenticeship in costume design.”
“They were absolutely captivated by the alumni, they held onto their every word. We had to keep prompting them to move on because they had so many questions for every single alumni that they met, they just wanted to hear more.
The students also took part in a debate task, where they were briefed on researching a topic in groups and debating it in front of the rest of the group.
“Some of these students struggle academically or with confidence, and by the end of the session, they were delivering clear and coherent arguments in front of their peers and the alumni volunteers who they’d only just met. It was amazing to behold.”
What did the students think?
As part of the programme, Future First gathered feedback from the students on how they think the workshop went:
Relatable role model posters are a key part of Future First membership.
87% of students who completed the survey enjoyed hearing from alumni the most, followed by finding out about careers and being able to ask questions
The majority of students wanted more time with the volunteers. “I’d liked to have had more time with each alumni, to learn about their life since leaving school and their current career.”
One student said: “It helped me think differently about my future.”
Advice for activating alumni
“If you’re looking at building and engaging your own alumni community with Future First, make sure you use your planning meeting and Alumni Programme Manager to set out your plan for the year. Keep in mind that alumni like to be involved but also just to visit the school – give them opportunities to give back and also opportunities where they can visit and get involved.”
