Schools Alumni Week receives support from Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression

Mims Davies, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression, has given her support to ‘Schools Alumni Week’, a new campaign developed by the national education charity, Future First.

The new initiative has been created to raise awareness of the importance of relatable role models for disadvantaged young people across the UK. Future First’s work aims to tackle the fact that almost half of the UK’s most disadvantaged pupils do not know anyone in a job they’d like to do, and less than half of 15-year-olds think ‘someone like me’ will be successful.

The charity is tackling this by connecting young people in schools and colleges across the UK, with former students from similar backgrounds, to inspire them, and understand their true potential.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State and Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression at the Department for Work and Pensions, Mims Davies said:

“As Minister for Social Mobility, Youth and Progression I am passionate about ensuring young people from all backgrounds are given the opportunity to fulfil their potential and achieve their goals.

“Having relatable positive role models is crucial in those early days of planning for the future. That’s why Future First’s work connecting pupils with inspiring alumni is so important, and I do encourage colleagues, educators, and organisations to sign up as role models and become part that motivating force which inspires the next generation.”

From 24th – 28th April 2023, the charity is calling on schools, colleges, organisations, employers, politicians, and the general public to realise the importance of relatable role models for all young people, and how alumni can be the perfect source of inspiration.

Throughout the week, resources will be available to help educators bring alumni into their community, and show organisations and the general public how they can support young people.

From being in care, to having additional needs (SEND), to where you are born, there are many different forms of disadvantage that can impact social mobility, which result in many young people missing out on valuable experiences, invisible networks and gaining social capital.

Schools Alumni Week has been launched to address this, and raise awareness of how relatable role models can boost social mobility. To promote the launch further, Future First has also released its film- ‘Someone Like Me’ that demonstrates the issues and the need for state school students to have access to role models they can relate and aspire to.

Future First’s Partnerships and Development Director, Duncan Grant commented,

“A school alumni group is an untapped resource, ready and waiting to strengthen any school community, but many schools lack the knowledge, time or investment strength to develop and sustain one. However, we know that you can’t be what you can’t see, and so our aim is for every state educated pupil, to be able to access this network of relatable role models.”

If you are an organisation, or volunteer and would like to get involved in Schools Alumni Week, please contact:

For more information and resources on how to take part, go to www.futurefirst.org.uk/schools-alumni-week/