ReachOut Futures is a unique partnership and volunteering programme that connects companies with motivated and talented university students.
These students volunteer as ReachOut mentors and, in return, our amazing corporate partners provide exciting employability opportunities including career mentoring, apprenticeships or work placements.
It can be a challenge for companies to diversify the way that they bring new talent into their organisations. ReachOut Futures creates a pathway to bring motivated and diverse talent 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, ReachOut Futures can support this.
It means learning new skills, making new connections and having access to incredible development, career mentoring, learning and networking opportunities. If you’re interested in volunteering as a ReachOut mentor, take a look here to find out more.
Could members of your team become career mentors to our ReachOut Futures students? This would mean giving 6-9 hours from May to November to help your mentee unlock their potential.
Our ReachOut Futures 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 Futures programme, including Yuness and Katrina who made huge strides in their careers through our partnership with EDF Renewables.
"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 ReachOut."
If you’re interested in partnering with ReachOut and want to find out more about how we could work together you can get in touch with us using the form below, or by emailing nicola.odonnell@reachoutuk.org.
“Hello, I’m Nicola, the Fundraising and Partnerships Manager at ReachOut. We are really lucky to be supported by some amazing companies who share our vision and mission of improving the lives of young people from under resourced communities. We work closely with our partners to build bespoke and mutually beneficial partnerships that include volunteering opportunities, fundraising, funding, events and more. Long-term, strategic support is hugely beneficial to a charity of our size, and I am always happy to hear from new companies who are interested in supporting our work, so if you’d like to find out more about partnering with us please do get in touch!”
“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
