Alumni offer virtual support to keep inspiring students during the coronavirus outbreak

Britain urged, ‘Offer online support to schools.’

The national education charity Future First is urging people from all walks of life to join the army of 250,000 former state students signed up to inspire current students at their former school or college during the coronavirus outbreak.

The charity aims to see every state school and college in the UK supported by a thriving and engaged alumni community, which improves students’ motivation, confidence and life chances. More than a thousand state schools and colleges across the UK have worked with Future First to harness the range of talents and experience alumni offer and to broaden young people’s work horizons.

Alumni can offer online support including sharing tips and hints on motivation and resilience in challenging times while schools are closed during the coronavirus outbreak. When schools reopen, the volunteer former students can return as usual for assemblies and workshops meeting students face to face to broaden their work horizons and help instil the confidence that students can succeed in a career of their choice, regardless of their background.

Justin Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Future First, urged people to sign up to volunteer to support current students at their former state school by clicking the sign up link on www.futurefirst.org.uk and for those 250,000 volunteers already registered to contact their former schools to offer support.

He said, ‘The current school closures makes it difficult for teachers to keep young people focused on their studies while off site. The 250,000 alumni registered with Future First demonstrates the enormous will and eagerness to help students at this difficult time. Alumni offering virtual support are a valuable part of a school community and can have a lasting impact on young people’s lives.

‘Everyone has skills to offer and we want people from a wide range of careers, from the professional of law, banking and medicine to vocations like plumbing and photography and recent leavers too, to volunteer. By acting as relatable role models and offering curriculum support and careers advice, alumni provide a clear and inspirational pathway from the classroom to the workplace.’

Future First is a national education charity with the vision that every state school and college should be supported by a thriving engaged community of former students who help schools do more for current students.     

Future First has worked in more than a thousand state schools and colleges across Britain enabling state schools and colleges to harness the talents of alumni to inspire and support current students as career and education role models, work experience providers, mentors and e-mentors, governors, donors and fundraisers and as volunteers more widely.

The 250,000 former students registered with Future First to stay connected with their former state school or college include leading employers, celebrities and everyday heroes in a range of careers from the professions like law and medicine to plumbing and photography. Every day, Future First alumni are acting as relatable role models to students in their old schools and colleges, with stories that are inspirational but also achievable.