CUREE are working with Future First to evaluate their new intensive careers programme in school (run in partnership with J.P.Morgan), whereby alumni are used as role models and mentors within the school. These alumni provide sessions to students to talk through careers. The aim is that by having these role models who students can relate to, the students will have increased career confidence and knowledge which will motivate them to work harder in their GCSEs. Schools with high numbers of FSM pupils will be targeted for this intervention, to address the fact that 50% of young people on FSM don’t know anyone in a job they’d like to do, whilst a quarter don’t think people like them are successful in life (Future First national polling and Prince’s Trust data)- Future First is intent on wiping out these statistics.
CUREE will be evaluating how effective the programme has been by examining whether it has met its proposed outcomes, including:
- Students have increased career confidence and motivation to work harder in their exams
- Increased GCSE student’s attainment
- Developing the employability skills of students nearing the end of their secondary education
- Young people to have raised aspirations about their career and education prospects
- Young people access more work experience’
CUREE will also be providing Future First with formative feedback to help refine and develop the programme further.
To find out more about Future First’s work visit: www.futurefirst.org.uk