Back to School: What is the campaign?

Back to School

A campaign by i and the charity Future First.

The aim: help people from all trades and professions to return to their old state schools to give inspirational talks or practical career advice for students. Inspire and inform young people about their futures.

How could I help?

1. Sign up to the Back to School network, which Future First uses to link state schools with their former pupils.

2. Or, if you prefer, you can contact your old school directly.

What is Future First?

What is i's partner charity, Future First?

Future First is a social enterprise charity set up in 2009 to mobilise former state school students as inspirational role models, work experience providers and mentors to current students.

What does Future First do?

State school students - and particularly students on state benefits - tend to get fewer opportunities to gain experience, less access to role models in jobs, and have lower confidence than private school students. Future First is working to change this and to give young people access to role models, mentors and work experience regardless of their background.

Who funds Future First?

In 2012 the Cabinet Office and the ZING Foundation helped support the charity to bring it to more than 10 per cent of all English schools and colleges. Schools also pay for the service so the organisation runs on a revenue model.

What is the Back to School network?

Over 50,000 former state school students have already signed up to their old school and college networks via Future First, to stay connected and to see how they can support current students.

Visit ind.pn/backtoschool for more information