The ReachOut Level Up Experience is a pioneering volunteering programme for university students from under-represented backgrounds. These students volunteer as ReachOut mentors and, in return, we work with amazing corporate partners to provide them with a range of exciting opportunities.
It can be a challenge for companies to diversify the way that they bring new talent into their organisations. The ReachOut Level Up Experience creates a pathway to bring students from underrepresented backgrounds in to your organisation. Whether you already have an established early careers programme or you’re taking the first step towards creating a more diverse and inclusive workforce, the ReachOut Level Up Experience can support this.
We partner with Universities that have a higher than average number of students from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, from low-income households or who are the first to go to University in their family. Our University partners are leading the way in social mobility. By joining the ReachOut Level Up Experience, your organisation can do the same.
It means learning new skills, making new connections and having access to incredible development, career mentoring, learning and networking opportunities.
Could members of your team become career mentors to our LevelUp students? This would mean giving 6-9 hours from January to September to help your mentee unlock their potential.
Our ReachOut LevelUp partners provide the opportunity for work experience or internships to our volunteers. It’s a great way to connect with committed, motivated and diverse talent.
Do you have expertise to share? Our partners work with us to run workshops for our volunteers throughout the year, on topics such as money management, effective presenting and interview skills.
Since 2019 282 students have taken part in the ReachOut Level Up Programme, including Yuness and Katrina who made huge strides in their careers through our partnership with Pivot Power.
"I have been able to build so many transferable skills and made so many new connections that I can confidently say I wouldn't be in the position I am today if I hadn't got involved with Level Up."
If you’re interested in partnering with ReachOut and want to find out more about our Level Up experience, you can get in touch with us using the form below, or by emailing hannah.seers@reachoutuk.org.
“Hi I’m Hannah! I look after our ReachOut Level Up partners to make sure your company and the students on the programme have a meaningful and valuable experience. Our students have so much to offer to companies and it’s brilliant to see them succeed in their placements each year. If you’re looking for a different way to connect with students for your Early Career pipelines, the ReachOut Level Up Experience is an impactful and easy way to get started. Get in touch if you want to chat about what joining the programme could look like for you! Hannah.seers@reachoutuk.org”
“At first, I was really hesitant to take on the Project Leader role, despite having mentored with ReachOut. However, with the support of the team I’ve really developed my skills. For example, at the Mentee Graduation, I stood up in front of 200 people and presented an award which is something I would never ever have been able to have done before, and isn’t an opportunity I could gain in my other situations.”
Amy McCutcheon, Project Leader at ReachOut Academy, Dean Trust Ardwick, Manchester.
“Being able to spend the summer working at Rede Partners, was an amazing experience. Whether it was working in HR or Finance, I learned so much about the world of private equity, made great connections with fantastic people and I got to learn first-hand what it would be like to work there! I really believe that I can go onto build the career I want now I’ve been a part for a workplace for real”
Victor Adekunle, 18 years old, ReachOut Ambassador, London
“When I first my mentee, she was very reluctant to participate in the sessions. Now, I see a completely different person! Her confidence has grown and she is happy to join in! She still has some self-doubt when it comes to academic work, but that’s what I hope to help her overcome, because she is a very bright person!
Through mentoring, I’ve learnt I’m a lot more patient than I realised. There will be days where she refuses to participate and those are the days that I really see the importance of the character strengths, for both the mentees and the mentors. It also makes it easier for the mentee to understand the character strengths, when I use them myself”
Myrtle, ReachOut Club mentor at Tufnell Primary School, London
“There are more distractions than ever outside of school, and the commitment of our students to attend ReachOut sessions is testament to the value they place on the relationships they foster there, and the challenge and enjoyment they provide.
ReachOut’s focus on communication skills and character development has become an important aspect of our provision of support for these students. The opportunity to relate to a positive role- model other than their usual teachers is key to the programme’s impact, and the evidence of this has been seen in the students’ attendance, resilience and to their overall progress across all the subjects in the school.”
Thomas Janvrin, Assistant Vice Principal at the Petchey Academy London
