Social Mobility Foundation Annual Review 2014

Annual Review2014

Welcome to the SMF...

2

2014 saw the SMF embark on the first step of an exciting expansion

plan when we opened our first regional office in Manchester. This is the

first of several offices planned for the coming years so that by the end

of 2018 young people can access what we offer wherever they reside in

the UK.

Another key part of the strategy to reach the rest of the UK is our

residential programmes. We were very pleased that CH2M HILL and

KPMG began supporting these programmes in 2014 and that Clifford

Chance LLP and Health Education England will begin doing so in 2015.

Our core programme, The Aspiring Professionals Programme (APP),

went from strength to strength with our biggest ever cohort, the bulk

of nearly 900 young people overall, and with 60 events delivered – the

largest number to date.

We also had guest appearances from prominent individuals at our

events, including Boris Johnson and Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP. We

topped off the year with a special event at which participants from

our programmes shared their stories. This was a vivid reminder to the

hundreds of individuals who support us why their involvement is so

important and why we’re very grateful for it.

David Johnston

Chief Executive

The Social Mobility Foundation (SMF) is a charity which aims to make a practical improvement in social mobility for young people from low-income backgrounds.

CONTENTS:

Welcome to the SMF 2

The Issue 4

The SMF Approach 5

SMF Programmes 6

University Application Support 8

Work Placements 10

Access to High-Level Professionals 12

Skills Sessions 14

Into Employment 16

Regional Expansion 18

Celebrating the SMF 20

SMF Impact 22

Thanks to our Supporters 23

In 2014, we began our journey to become a national charity, working across the UK by 2018.

MESSAGEFROM OUR CEO

2013One

London office

2014Offices in

London and Manchester

2015Offices in London,

Manchester and Glasgow

2016 Offices

in London, Manchester,

Glasgow, Birmingham and

Newcastle

2017-18The SMF becomes a

national charity

Social Mobility Foundation 2014 Annual Review 3

In a year3 of the BBC’s Question Time, 65% of guests were Russell Group graduates4

Unpaid internships

are rarely an option for

students from low-income

backgrounds

The IssueTHE MOST ADVANTAGED STUDENTS

ARE SIX TIMES MORE LIKELY TO ENTER A HIGHLY SELECTIVE UNIVERSITY THAN THE MOST

DISADVANTAGED1

Top employers recruit from an average of only

20 out of 115 universities

Over 60% of trainee

barristers are from Russell Group

universities. 28% are Oxbridge

graduates

of the population attend independent schools and yet independent school

alumni make up:

7+93+O7% 71+29+O71% of senior judges

43+57+O43% of newspaper columnists

33+67+O33% of MPs

1 ‘Bridging the Social Divide’, The Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, March 2015

ONLY 8.3% OF DOCTORS

IN TRAINING IN THE UK

ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FREE

SCHOOL MEALS2

2 ‘National Training Survey 2013: Socioeconomic Status Questions’, General Medical Council

3 September 2013–July 2014 4 Social Mobility Foundation research 2014

1 in 4 employers across all professions use unpaid interns

8.3%

Sources for profession and education-related statistics in this review are: ‘Elitist Britain? (2014)’ and ‘State of the Nation 2014’, Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, unless otherwise stated

All SMF-related statistics in this review are based on the responses received at the time of writing4

Students are presented with an array of opportunities:

• Predicted at least ABB at A-Level

AND• Obtained at least 4 As at GCSE

The SMF ApproachWe draw from more than 400 schools and colleges

across the UK to support eligible sixth form students.Students are hand-picked for suitability.

Students start university with the SMF by their side

and can access...

Bursting with

potential

1

2 3

4 With our assistance, students embark on professional careers

they otherwise might never have accessed, including:

Accountant Investment BankerLawyer Doctor Civil Servant

A mentor working in their chosen

profession Sessions to develop

students’ soft skills

Advice on applying

to top universities

Work placements

in the profession

they wish to enter

Support with applications for paid internships

Regular updates on their dream professions

Workshops on succeeding at assessment centres

• Eligible for Free School Meals

OR• First in their family to attend university, and school has high number of students on Free School Meals

Low-income

backgrounds


SMF ProgrammesStudent participants are supported through three broad SMF programmes:

the Aspiring Professionals Programme, Residential Programmes and the City Talent Initiative. We are proud to continue to manage the Speaker’s Parliamentary Placements Scheme, which provides

paid internships in Parliament.

ASPIRINGPROFESSIONALSPROGRAMME

GLASGOW

LEEDS

MANCHESTERLIVERPOOL

NOTTINGHAM

BIRMINGHAM

LONDON

• Our core and most established programme

• Supports the largest number of students

• Runs in 7 cities

• Covers 11 professional sectors

ACCOUNTANCY ARCHITECTURE BANKING & FINANCE

BIOLOGY & CHEMISTRY BUSINESS ENGINEERING &

PHYSICS

LAW MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS MEDICINE POLITICS TECHNOLOGY NO PREFERENCE

7 Target Cities

CITYTALENTINITIATIVE• Established in 2013

• Aimed at our highest achieving students who have an interest in a career in the City

• Support comes from prestigious City firms: Bank of America Merrill Lynch, EY, J.P. Morgan and Strutt & Parker

• Participants commit to a placement with a firm every year until the students graduate

5 year commitment

Target city

SMF office

6

Students on all of our programmes access unparalleled support, which includes:

University application supportA professional mentor

Skills sessions Work placement opportunities

Any age

SPEAKER’SPARLIAMENTARYPLACEMENTSSCHEME• Set up by Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP to tackle the culture of unpaid work

placements in Parliament and open the doors to a wider population

• For people from any educational background

• The 2013–14 cohort were the most successful so far in obtaining employment, with 7 out of 10 entering related professions shortly after their 9 month placement with an MP

RESIDENTIALPROGRAMMES• For students who would otherwise be unable

to access our services in their home areas

• Students travel to another city and get a taste of life in their chosen profession

• Placement providers are CH2M HILL, the Civil Service, J.P. Morgan, KPMG and Linklaters LLP

• In 2015 we welcome two new placement partners: Clifford Chance LLP and Health Education England

New providers

in 2015


“I really enjoyed the visit to the University of Edinburgh. It was such a great opportunity for me and it’s now my top choice university.

Trips like these to universities are so helpful, especially to those in my situation. I’m really grateful to have been given the chance to visit.”

Chloe, 2014 SMF student

University Application Support

Almost double the number of students had

their personal statements checked by volunteers in

2014 compared to 2013

8

63+37+O of SMF student university destinations in 2014 were Russell Group universities

63%

Because we understand the relationship between university destinations and entry to our target professions, we continue to encourage students to consider highly selective universities.

UNIVERSITY VISITS

In 2014, students travelled with us to visit 16 of the UK’s leading universities, ranging from an overnight stay at the University of Exeter to a day trip at the University of Edinburgh. These visits are tailored for our students, with all travel costs covered, ensuring that students make informed decisions about which universities they apply to. After visiting a university with the SMF, more than half the students (57%) decide to apply to that institution.

WORKSHOPS

We have expanded the workshops we offer to students who are applying to university courses that require admissions tests and interviews. As well as continuing to deliver UKCAT/BMAT and interview practice for students on our Medicine strand, students applying to Oxbridge were supported with sessions from admissions tutors on the required tests and interviews.

CAREERS FAIR

Another successful University & Careers Fair was hosted by ICAEW, which saw us welcome 30 employers and universities to meet more than 200 students and talk to them about their options.

After the Medicine Interview Workshop, the percentage of students who felt confident in their interview technique increased from 14% to 97%

After the Medicine Interview workshop, the percentage of students who felt con�dent in their interview technique increased from 14% to 97%

14%

97%

BEFORE AFTER


“Being able to get hands-on experience of the collections within the Natural History Museum was both a privilege and an honour. Thanks to the SMF, I gained an insight into the kind of things getting a degree in a Life Science

could offer me as well as learning more about my subject in the wider world.”

Alisha, 2014 APP student (pictured)

Work Placements

10

90+10+O97+3+O

ACCOUNTANCY ARCHITECTURE BANKING & FINANCE

BIOLOGY & CHEMISTRY BUSINESS ENGINEERING &

PHYSICS

LAW MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS MEDICINE

POLITICS TECHNOLOGY NO PREFERENCE

“Working in partnership with the SMF allows us to reach talented young people who we may otherwise not have access to. We’re delighted that SMF student, Danielle, has been offered a place on our school leaver programme this year – it’s a clear indication of how working with the SMF is helping us to improve access to the profession for young people from a variety of backgrounds.”

Emily Milne-Home, Head of Student Attraction, KPMG Danielle

An important part of the support SMF students receive continues to be the short work placements within their professional sector of choice. These give students an invaluable insight into the sort of work environment they hope to enter in the future, and enables employers to engage with them at an early age.

We worked with employers to provide placements to students across

all of our seven target cities.

We were pleased to welcome new hosts this year, including

the Financial Times, Crossrail and a number of physics employers

through our relationship with the Institute of Physics.

In addition, one of the most positive developments for the SMF in

recent years has been the creation of residential work placement

programmes that allow us to work with young people wherever they reside in the UK. For students living outside our target

cities, the London-based residentials present the opportunity to gain

professional insight in sectors that are not easily accessible in their

home area.

We ran such residential programmes in partnership with the Civil

Service, J.P. Morgan, Linklaters LLP, and for the first time, CH2M HILL

and KPMG.

of students who undertook their placement at J.P. Morgan said they would like to work there in the future

97%

of employers said that working with the SMF helps them to reach students that they wouldn’t normally reach through traditional work placement channels

90%After their work placement at Linklaters LLP, 82% of students are confident that they will have a successful career

Before the work placement this figure was 57%

82%

57%

BEFORE AFTER


Access to High-Level Professionals

“I have really enjoyed working with Surya over the past year. It has not felt like a traditional mentoring relationship as I think we both have a lot to learn from each other. It has been really inspiring to watch someone intelligent, passionate and ambitious pursuing their goals.”

Prudence, 2014 SMF mentor

“Pru has been a wonderful mentor. She supported me greatly when I was writing my personal statement, introduced me to intellectually stimulating topics and encouraged me to debate. Most importantly, she was welcoming, approachable, clever and cool – what more could you want?”

Surya, 2014 SMF student

12

Access to High-Level Professionals

Every young person on our programmes is matched to someone from their chosen profession who commits to mentor them for a year. Mentoring plays a key part in ensuring SMF students receive sector-specific advice and encouragement at a crucial time in their education.

MP PLACEMENTSWe are fortunate to have the support of the three main political

parties. The party leaders, as well as a significant number of other

MPs, each hosted an SMF student on a work experience placement.

Access to the world of politics and these senior figures helps to give

our students the exposure and confidence to believe that they too

can work in highly influential professions.

MENTORINGIn 2014, we increased the number of large scale meet-ups for

mentoring pairs. Taylor Wessing LLP provided the setting for mentors

and mentees to get to know one another and for the students to build

their networks.

“I was delighted to join the team of mentors on the SMF programme.

The matching of mentees and mentors works really well and is

strongly supported by staff at the SMF. My involvement with my

mentees enables me to share my academic and professional

experiences and networks in a way that I hope will make a real

difference as they begin their journeys into higher education and the

world of work.”

Dr Ricky Joseph, SMF mentor

More than 15,000 emails exchanged between our 2014 mentoring pairs

Akian meets the Prime Minister, David Cameron

Naeem with Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, chats to SMF student, Oniqa

“My week in the parliamentary office of Ed Miliband allowed me to see how the office goes about preparing for everything from Prime Minister’s Questions to creating policy and responding to constituent queries. Above all, it gave me an insight into the side of politics the media neglects – the hard work, long hours and dedication put in by staff.”

Naeem, Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP’s office

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Skills Sessions

14

Students benefited from a wider range of insight and skills sessions. Our supporters work with us to provide essential advice about career options and the skills students will need at university and in the workplace.

FUTURES DAYS

In 2014, our supporters hosted ‘Futures Days’ that offer our Year 12

students the opportunity to hear from professionals across their

sector of interest. This year, our Futures Days were generously

supported by organisations including Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP,

the Wellcome Trust and the Royal Academy of Engineering.

MAKING AN IMPRESSION

SMF staff continued to work alongside the students to prepare

them for entering a work environment. Our ‘Making an Impression’

workshops in Manchester and London equipped students with

the knowledge they need to impress employers and feel more

confident in an environment that they are unlikely to have previously

experienced.

DISCUSSION GROUPS

We broadened our discussion groups to include an increased number

of sectors. Prestigious organisations facilitating the sessions included:

the New Statesman; Little, Brown Book Group and Essex Court

Chambers. Discussion groups provide an opportunity for students

to develop their research skills and articulacy in preparation for

interviews and seminar settings at university.

“I think the SMF selection process is clearly working: we were incredibly impressed by the calibre of the students. I honestly would not have been surprised had we been told we were working with university undergraduates, rather than students still at school.”

Tom Ford, Barrister, Essex Court Chambers

of students who attended our Engineering & Physics Futures Day now feel they have a better understanding of the careers available to them

91+9+O91%

Students at the

Financial Conduct Authority discussing

workplace culture in the finance

sector


“Through the provision of work placements and networking opportunities, the SMF has enabled me to gain the

necessary experience to launch a successful career.”

Akeem (pictured), who has secured employment with Accenture in 2015

Into employment

16

We have expanded the activities offered to SMF students currently at university, with events to develop their ability to

impress employers and tackle graduate recruitment assessment centres.

One such event was a Career Insight Day for undergraduate students who are looking to find out more about the careers available to them following their degrees. We were fortunate to have speakers from ICAEW, the Civil Service and the Financial Conduct Authority.

Longstanding SMF supporter, The Spectator, invited students they have hosted on work placements in previous years to a

networking tea with Chairman, Andrew Neil, and Editor, Fraser Nelson. It was a fantastic opportunity for our students to reconnect with the magazine and network with their SMF peers. The Spectator has thus far employed two former SMF students full-time and we look forward to following their progress.

Organisations now employing

SMF alumni include: Accenture,

Baker & McKenzie LLP, Bank of

America Merrill Lynch, the Civil

Service, Clifford Chance LLP,

KPMG and J.P. Morgan

We are especially pleased when we hear from participants on our programmes who have been offered full-time employment in the professions we target, particularly when it’s with our supporters such as Accenture, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and KPMG.

“The Career Insight Day introduced me to the numerous possibilities available with my degree, and how I can adapt my skills to the working world.”

Asyma, SMF undergraduate

Andrew Neil addresses returning

SMF students at The Spectator


Regional Expansion

“It was a great honour to be part of the Social Mobility Foundation’s launch event in Manchester. Meeting the people who have been helped by the organisation and hearing about the projects they are running in the area was truly inspirational. It is so important to inspire young people whatever background they have and the SMF is providing a great bridge between students and businesses to make sure that this happens.”

Steph McGovern, BBC Business presenter

“I am lucky to be mentored by the Head of BBC North West. He invited me to Media City and gave me a tour around one of the buildings and studios, while giving me further advice on my future. It was such a wonderful opportunity.”

Katie, 2014 SMF student from Manchester

2014: MANCHESTER OFFICE OPENED

FIRSTOFFICE

A BIG STEPTOWARDS OUR GOAL

OF ACCESS FOR

MORE SUPPORTFOR STUDENTS IN

STUDENT APPLICATIONS

FROM THE REGIONINCREASED BY 170% IN 2014

ONLY 18% OF POOR CHILDREN IN THE NORTH WEST PROGRESS TO

60 people attended the reception to

launch our Manchester office,

hosted by DWF

Katie at Media City

EXCITING NEWS!

18+82+O THEIR HOME AREA

ALL YOUNG PEOPLEWHEREVER THEYRESIDE IN THE UK

© P

hoto

grap

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ehra

OUTSIDE OURLONDON HQ

HIGHER EDUCATION

18%

18

Regional Expansion

GLASGOW

LEEDS

MANCHESTERLIVERPOOL

NOTTINGHAM

BIRMINGHAM

LONDON

“We are delighted to support this excellent initiative, with the benefits it brings to a number of our young people. Widening access is something that Glasgow is passionate about and we will do all that we can to push the boundaries and open doors for Glasgow pupils.”

Maureen McKenna, Executive Director of Education, Glasgow City Council

“The Social Mobility Foundation’s programmes have been an excellent resource to help raise the aspirations of our students. As a school based in one of the most uniformly deprived boroughs of the UK it has opened up outstanding opportunities for students that they would be unable to source themselves, as well as encouraging the development of softer skills that are required by top employers alongside academic ability.”

Hasmita Mistry, Careers Advisor, Sandwell Academy

“The SMF students were fantastic and there are great benefits that working together brings to the students, the Trust and hopefully our future patients. I felt that the students we were accepting via the SMF often were far more keen and interested than those we see from well-known high performing schools.”

Stephanie Cater, Work Experience Coordinator, Royal Liverpool University Hospital

We have supported students across several target cities (below) for a number of years and the opening of our Manchester office in 2014 was the first step towards extending the support we can offer in students’ home areas. We also continue to bring students from across the UK to residential programmes in London, meaning we were able to support young people from places such as Londonderry, Plymouth and Dunfermline in 2014.

Residential student locations

Target city

SMF office


Celebrating the SMF

“To say the Social Mobility Foundation gave me direction in life is an understatement. I have gone from being a student who was disillusioned with a world seemingly void of opportunity, to one that has found the motivation and determination to drive me

to become a successful investment banker.”

Joe, 2014 SMF student (pictured addressing guests at J.P. Morgan)

20

Celebrating the SMFIn January 2014, the Financial Services Lawyers Association very

generously put on a second fundraising dinner for the SMF,

attended by more than 140 individuals from across financial services

and raising c.£25,000 towards our regional expansion. One

of the highlights of the evening was an appearance from the Mayor

of London, Boris Johnson, who met with a group of participants

from our programmes before giving an entertaining speech to the

assembled guests.

In July, we thanked our supporters at our annual summer reception, kindly hosted by Bank of America Merrill Lynch. It

was attended by 200 people, who heard from Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP about the importance of social mobility.

In December, more than 150 guests joined us at J.P. Morgan for the

SMF’s first event of its kind – one planned and delivered

almost entirely by young people we have supported. Year 13 and

undergraduate SMF students volunteered from around the country

to share their SMF stories in the event, entitled ‘Stories of Aspiring Professionals’. Apart from a brief appearance

by a representative from J.P. Morgan at the beginning and our Chief

Executive at the end, every speaker had been a participant in our

activities in recent years. Many guests accepted our invitation to bring

someone who may want to become involved with our work in 2015.

We were delighted to deliver three large-scale events that brought together professionals and students in a relaxed setting to reflect on the impact of the charity’s work.

SMF students with Boris Johnson

Alan Johnson with guests

Renato talks to assembled guests


of employers said that the SMF students they hosted on a work placement were of the calibre they would employ after university

95%

sMF ImpactThe Institute for Fiscal Studies has published results of an evaluation1 of our impact on higher education outcomes, funded by J.P. Morgan. It found:

2014 at a glance:

The scale of our impact on elite

university entry is akin to a candidate having

A*A*A* at A-Level rather than AAA

We increased

the probability of attending a Russell

Group university by up to

27%

We increased

the probability of attending a university

most visited by top employers by up to

869new students

supported

1 ‘An Evaluation of the Impact of the Social Mobility Foundation Programmes on Education Outcomes’, IFS Report R102 (2015)

43%

97%of students said

their work placement exceeded their expectations

Of students attending university in 2014,

63%entered a Russell Group university

22

Thanks to our supporters…

We’d like to thank all of the companies and individuals who enable us to continue to support young people in reaching their potential. Supporters include:

TRUSTEES

Sir Victor Blank (Chairman)

Lis Astall

Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP

Tom Cassels

Rt Hon Stephen Dorrell MP

Sir Terry Leahy

Theresa Loar

Fraser Nelson

Dr Geoff Parks

Trevor Phillips OBE

STAFF

David Johnston (Chief Executive)

Ayesha Begum

Deb Conner (Secondment from KPMG)

Trishna Datta

Emily Hodgson

Rubeca Hussain

Sammy Hussain

Charlynn Koranteng

Fiona McCourt

Paul McDonald

Isobel Plant

Sally Weatherall

Elsie Wraighte

As we continue our exciting plans for

regional development, we rely on the dedicated support of

employers and volunteers in providing mentoring, work placements, venues, speakers and financial backing. We’d like to hear from you if you think you can help us in achieving our vision of

better social mobility for young people, wherever they reside

in the UK

Photographs © Charlotte King Photography (unless otherwise indicated)

Page 18 icons (house and office) © Emir Simsek/shutterstock.com

Design & illustrations: Catherine Charnock Creative www.catherinecharnock.co.uk


http://www.catherinecharnock.co.uk

[email protected]

twitter: @socialmobilityf

www.socialmobility.org.uk

Registered charity no. 1115888

http://www.socialmobility.org.uk

Social Mobility Foundation Annual Review 2014

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