Impact Report 2025
This past year has been one of meaningful progress for Future First. At a time when social mobility in the UK remains stubbornly low, the work of connecting young people with relatable role models has never been more vital.
And this is where Future First makes a distinctive difference: by ensuring every young person can “see someone like me”, and by building the networks and confidence that too often determine future success.
This year, more than 3,000 students took part in Future First-led events, leaving more inspired, more informed, and better equipped to navigate their futures. Schools strengthened their alumni and employer networks, enabling them to offer richer careers education and meet the Gatsby Benchmarks with growing confidence. Our partnerships with employers grew significantly across a wide variety of sectors, from finance and strategic communication to hospitality and automotive industries. Volunteers generously gave over 4,500 hours of their time and experience, demonstrating how powerful a single story or piece of advice can be.
The Future First team would like to thank everyone—schools, volunteers, employers, trustees, and supporters—who helped make this year’s impact possible.
To read more about the impact we, and you, have made, please scroll down or download the print version for the full report.
Our impact on young people
3,000+
young people attended Future First-led events
91%
rated their experience with Future First as positive
88%
were inspired by the volunteers who shared their experience
81%
leave sessions with a better understanding of career options available to them
“Learning about the different paths people took... was helpful as it shows you can essentially start off doing anything and end up somewhere completely different.”
80%
say they feel better equipped for their next steps
Our work is about ensuring more young people have the knowledge, skills, confidence, and networks they need to succeed. This year, we paid particular attention to understanding what students value about our events and how those experiences shape their aspirations.
The results are clear: students leave our sessions more inspired, more informed, and more confident in navigating their futures.
Our work with schools
71%
would recommend working with Future First to other schools
81%
reported that their alumni network has grown
79%
reported increased connections with employers
57%
said that working with us has improved their ability to meet Gatsby Benchmarks
“I think when they’re thinking about their next steps in their future careers, it gives them a real inspiration and sense of belief that if that person did it, I can do it too.”
School feedback highlights the immediate value of Future First in establishing and professionalising alumni relations. Many schools, some starting from scratch, have rapidly built structured networks using the Future First Hub and leveraged it to make their communications "easier and more professional-looking”.
These stronger networks directly translate into opportunities: schools have secured significant employer contacts and arranged meaningful student visits and workshops. Overall, this active network-building is seen as a clear and positive indication to parents and the wider community of the school's commitment to providing high quality careers support.
Volunteering with Future First
127k+
volunteers registered on the Future First Hub
4,500+
volunteering hours contributed
91%
would recommend volunteering with Future First
2/3
felt they have made a positive contribution to social mobility
“I do very much believe in the see it, be it position. It’s very difficult to picture yourself within a particular role or particular way of life, unless you can see someone similar to yourself undertaking that same path or same journey.”
Students often struggle to connect their classroom learning to tangible real-world careers. Our dedicated volunteers bridge this gap, serving as essential role models to inspire and guide young people regardless of their background.
Our volunteer feedback data consistently shows that volunteers find their experience deeply rewarding. They value the opportunity to share their knowledge, raise awareness of their careers, and gain a sense of personal achievement by making a tangible contribution to social mobility.
Partnerships with employers
This past year, we successfully trialled a new way of working with our partners, building meaningful relationships between employers and schools in their local community.
As demonstrated by the case study below, our employer programmes are designed to drive social mobility, ensuring a young person's future is never limited by their background. By partnering with us, employers are able to meet their corporate social responsibility goals while making a demonstrable impact on the lives of young people.
Sparking interest in automotive apprenticeships with Auto Windscreens
During National Apprenticeship Week 2025, Auto Windscreens partnered with Future First to host its inaugural Insight Day, welcoming 16 Level 1 students from Chesterfield College. The day was designed to broaden young people’s awareness of the automotive sector and help them build confidence in their next steps.
Students took part in two interactive careers carousels, gaining first-hand insight into roles across the business, from customer care and sustainability to technical operations and ADAS calibration. A CV and personal statement workshop, delivered by Auto Windscreens colleagues, further equipped them with practical skills for future job searches.
The impact was clear. By the end of the session, 80% of students reported feeling better equipped to make decisions about their future, and 75% highlighted the interactive format as particularly valuable. Many also expressed a shift in mindset, sharing that “even if you start at the bottom you can work your way up,” that the experience “opened my eyes to a whole other side of the automotive industry,” and that they now understood “how big the industry is and the many different jobs available”.
For Future First, the event demonstrated the power of relatable role models and local employer engagement. For Auto Windscreens, it reinforced the ethos that drives its award-winning apprenticeship programme: a long-standing commitment to nurturing future talent and helping young people see their potential within an evolving and opportunity-rich sector.
As this area of our work grows, we are committed to strengthening how we measure impact for partners. Over the next year, we will be working directly with employers to develop an evaluation approach that is easy, quick, and meaningful for everyone involved.
“As we look ahead, our ambition is clear: to ensure every young person has the confidence, knowledge, and networks they need to thrive, no matter their background.
Thank you to everyone—schools, volunteers, employers, trustees, and supporters—who helped make this year’s impact possible.”