In 2022, where you grew up, where you went to school and what your parents did are still real predictors of educational and career outcomes in the UK. In fact, the UK has lower social mobility compared to all major EU countries.

Ensuring that your organisation is open to, accessing and progressing talent from all backgrounds is an organisation-wide effort and, whilst there are some actions that need to be taken centrally, there are a number of steps individuals can take whether as a colleague, a team-leader, a line manager or a hiring-manager.
In today’s session, we will discuss: the current picture in the UK and the impact of Covid-19; the specific barriers young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are facing in education and work; and areas that employers may want to consider within their own practices.

About The Facilitators:

The SMF’s mission is for the UK to be a country where every person, regardless of background, can access opportunities which allow them to get on in life.
We aim to make practical improvements in social mobility for young people through our student programme work, our advocacy and campaigning arm the Department for Opportunities, and through the delivery of the Social Mobility Employer Index.

• We support young people directly through programmes that enable them to achieve their potential
• We mobilise and equip employers to break down the barriers to social mobility in their organisations
• We campaign for awareness and action on social mobility and the causes and impact of social class disadvantage

Joining from the Social Mobility Foundation will be:

• Ellie Grange – Mentoring Programme Lead
• Samson Wendes – Senior Employer Relations Officer