Get involved in Access Aspiration

“Access Aspiration has given us something we absolutely didn’t have before which is access to very high-quality work experience placements for students that really deserve them but couldn’t access them. It takes a huge amount of workload away from the school. The programme has a massive impact on our students’ lives.”

A teacher from a Kensington and Chelsea school

What is Access Aspiration?

The pandemic has severely affected young people’s journey into work, and the cost of living crisis is now deepening inequalities.

Access Aspiration addresses this imbalance by creating more visibility of career pathways for 16-18 year olds from low-income and underrepresented backgrounds who are making key decisions about their future but struggling to link with employers.

The programme targets schools in boroughs where a high proportion of students are eligible for free school meals and connects them with businesses across London to deliver a range of impactful employer experiences such as work experience, mock interviews, and CV workshops.

We work with various organisations across London, like yours, to make these opportunities a reality for young Londoners.

To date, the programme has delivered over 22,000 employer encounters and supported over 15,000 students from across London.

Ten years of impact

Access Aspiration was founded by Mayor’s Fund for London trustee, Jenny Halpern Prince. In 2022, the programme marks its 10th anniversary of providing high-quality and aspirational employer encounters and experiences.

Through the ten years of Access Aspiration, participating young people have reported increased knowledge, understanding, and motivation:

95% of young people report an increased knowledge of the range of careers available
92% of young people report an increased understanding of their chosen industry
88% of young people say they are motivated to get into work

Become a supporter of Access Aspiration

By supporting Access Aspiration, you will:

Strengthen your organisation’s diversity and inclusion work
Promote your organisation to a talented and motivated future workforce
Support your organisation’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations
Provide engagement and volunteering opportunities for your staff

How do I get involved?

Our partners and supporters include private-sector businesses* as well as government, public bodies, and charities.

Your support will enable us to continue to run the programme with over 3,000 sixth form students and ensure they continue to benefit from high-quality encounters with employers.

*A financial contribution is required.