Future First

We’re looking for Freelance Workshop Facilitators!⁠
⁠
Want to inspire young people and help them explore their future? Join us this autumn to deliver engaging workshops in schools and colleges across the UK.⁠
⁠
✨ £200/day + travel expenses⁠
📍 Nationwide (especially London, Midlands, South West & East Anglia)⁠
🕗 School-day hours (8am–3pm approx.)⁠
⁠
You’ll:⁠
🎤 Lead interactive sessions for students aged 11–18⁠
🤝 Work with alumni & volunteers⁠
📚 Help young people build confidence and career awareness⁠
⁠
We’re looking for people with experience working with young people, great energy, and a passion for making a difference.⁠
⁠
Interested? Go to www.futurefirst.org.uk/jobs to find out more

“We wanted to give students a realistic view of what working in finance actually looks like. For many, it can feel like an intimidating or unfamiliar space, so the aim was to make it more accessible and show there are lots of different paths into the industry.” Todimu S.⁠
⁠
Last autumn, Lumon hosted an insight day for the students of St Clement Danes School. The event gave students first-hand insight into a wide range of careers in finance, while helping them build practical employability skills and challenge common misconceptions about the industry.⁠
⁠
👉 Read our blog to find out how the day unfolded: https://www.futurefirst.org.uk/news/real-world-careers-real-world-skills-lumon-insight-day⁠
⁠

This International Women’s Day we asked the women on our team:⁠
⁠
What do you wish you’d known when you were younger? You can scroll through their answers below.⁠
⁠
Their reflections remind us how powerful advice, encouragement and visibility can be. Because when young women see what’s possible, everything changes. ♀️✊ ⁠
⁠
To read their reflections and advice in full, go to https://www.futurefirst.org.uk/news/international-womens-day-2026-what-we-wish-wed-known-as-young-women ⁠
⁠

Have you ever thought of a career in communications? ⁠
⁠
For National Careers Week, Aceil Haddad, Founder and PR Consultant at MATT PR shines a light on careers in communications. ⁠
⁠
Communications careers come in all shapes and sizes: from press campaigns to crisis strategy and storytelling that makes a difference. Read Aceil's insights on what the job involves and how to begin your journey:⁠
⁠
👉 https://www.futurefirst.org.uk/news/a-career-in-communications⁠
⁠

As we wrap up , we asked some of our employer partners for their top tips for those young people thinking about applying for an apprenticeship.

Markerstudy Group, Leonard Curtis and Shawbrook answered the call and shared their advice on how to stand out from the crowd.

👉 Read more on our blog: https://www.futurefirst.org.uk/news/national-apprenticeship-week-top-tips-from-employers-on-how-to-stand-out

📢 Work experience is changing.

Across government, education, the third sector and employers, there is growing momentum to build a system where careers education is not a single moment in Year 10, but a series of meaningful, progressive experiences that help young people understand themselves, the world of work, and the pathways available to them from an earlier age.

Employers have a vital role to play in that shift and it doesn't have to be complicated. Many organisations already provide meaningful experiences without necessarily labelling them as such. We have created a Modern Work Experience Checklist for employers to help you reflect on your current offer against what modern work experience looks like in practice.

Find out more 👉️ https://www.futurefirst.org.uk/news/modern-work-experience-making-it-work-for-young-people-and-employers

Today is day, a day to celebrate careers leaders and careers advisers everywhere - professionals whose work is too often underestimated in an already stretched education system.

They juggle statutory duties, whole-school priorities, employer engagement, and the individual hopes and worries of young people, often with limited time and resources. And they do it with care, persistence, and an unwavering belief in students’ futures.

We see the work you do and we’re proud to play a part in supporting careers teams to turn policy into meaningful, real-world experiences for young people.

Thank you for everything you do. Today, and every day, your work matters.

Is volunteering part of your New Year’s resolution? Sharing your time, experience, and insight can help young people unlock their potential and, as highlighted in our latest impact report, it’s just as rewarding for volunteers.

👉 If you need inspiration, read Estela's story: https://www.futurefirst.org.uk/news/shawbrook-volunteers-inspire-st-bonaventures-students-through-financial-education

Estela Noncheva is a Senior Risk Analyst at Shawbrook Bank who brought not only her professional expertise, but also a long-standing passion for supporting young people during a recent insight day at St Bonaventure's school in East Ham.

“Even the smallest actions can create a powerful impact.” 👏

What started as a sponsored walk became a partnership that truly walks the talk.

In 2024, Powwow Events — driven by a commitment to tackle the social mobility gap and open doors to the events industry — raised £3,000 to sponsor a local school’s membership with Future First .

Through their partnership with Pimlico Academy, the Powwow team members have shared their career journeys, delivered interactive workshops on event planning and pitching, attended careers fairs, and hosted students for work experience.

As one Powwow team member reflected:
“Talking to students from Years 7–13 made me pause and feel genuinely proud of my journey so far.” ❤️

A powerful example of how employer partnerships can inspire young people and energise teams at the same time.

👉 Read more about Powwow's partnership with Pimlico Academy on our website: https://www.futurefirst.org.uk/news/a-partnership-that-walks-the-talk-powwow-events-and-pimlico-academy

🤝 If you'd like to support young people in your local community in the new year, have a look at our programmes for employers: https://www.futurefirst.org.uk/employers

“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.” Tim Riordan, alumni of St Bonaventure's School

Earlier this year, we interviewed some of our volunteers on the value of alumni as relatable role models and the powerful role they play in building connections, supporting careers, and strengthening communities.

👉 Watch their testimonial here: https://youtu.be/96KV1vJmsL0?si=DWvsm5Fyh_rBQSFa

To find out more about volunteering with Future First, go to www.futurefirst.org.uk/volunteers