Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds are under-represented in professional occupations. This is an issue for society and business.
You can’t be what you can’t see – that’s why our programmes work to connect young people with relatable role models so they can see ‘someone like me’.
2024 headlines
45%
of the schools we worked with were above the national Free School Meal average*.
1/3
of the schools we worked with were in the 100 most deprived Local Authorities in England.
1/3
fully funded memberships provided to schools across the UK, supporting schools with limited budgets.
“I believe the socioeconomic makeup of our students means that they rarely see themselves represented in careers work. Meeting alumni is the perfect way to correct this and increase engagement and aspiration. However, funding is the only issue.” Teacher
*FSM = Free School Meals 2.1 million young people are eligible for FSM in England. That’s 24.6% of all state-funded learners. This is the highest rate since 2006.FSM eligibility is based on households with an income of less than £7,400 / year after tax and not including benefits.
29,465
young people directly benefited from Future First’s activities (e.g., workshops, insight days, interactions on the Hub).
81%
of young people said meeting former students showed them “people like me” can be successful.
73%
of young people said meeting alumni made them want to work harder at school.
“It was a really fun experience, and it definitely helped me feel more secure in my future career.“ Ismael, learner
121,000+
alumni and employee volunteers registered on the Future First Hub.
9,000
”Near peer” alumni.
50
sectors represented on the Hub, from architecture to digital, health, and science.
“I think the alumni have enjoyed our careers days and gone back to their employers and looked at different opportunities they might be able to offer such as work experience and internships. It transforms from just a one-off day into something a bit more meaningful.” Andy Lewis, St Bonaventure’s School
