IMPACT REPORT 2019-2020
Welcome to Form the Future’s 2019-2020 Impact Report. We’re proud to launch our first digital impact report, and show the journey we’ve been on this year. Hear from our CEO, Anne Bailey, in the welcome video below.
Form the Future
A note from our chairman, Garry Havens
Despite the major challenges presented by Covid-19, we have made great progress on many fronts at Form the Future over the past year.
Most importantly, we are adapting to the restrictions that we are working under and using this as a catalyst to transform our programme delivery. This will ensure we can help more young people in finding the right career path at a time when this is most needed.
We ended the 2019-20 year with a strong increase in funds generated, of 23% over the previous year. Our financial reserves have been built up to ensure we can weather future financial shortfalls and safeguarding the continuity of our programmes. This was greatly helped by the goodwill and continued commitment from major supporters like the Greater Cambridge Partnership, the ESF funded Target Apprenticeships programme and Cambridge LaunchPad Founding Partners Marshall of Cambridge, ARM, Schlumberger and TTP. This continued support from partners has helped to cover the substantial volume of income lost when work experience placements for some 3000 students were cancelled, and enabled us to continue to work closely with schools, students, parents and employers without interruption.
We also greatly strengthened the Board during the year, with the addition of new Non-Executive Directors, Jon Green and John Elvin, and more recently Pri Pinnaduwa and Sarah Pattison. The senior leadership team has also been strengthened and collectively we have developed a new strategic plan to set out our aspirations to grow and expand our reach to a larger base.
The Board enjoys playing an active role in supporting this small but dynamic and ambitious organisation. We very much look forward to supporting Form the Future in continuing to help even more young people make informed decisions about their futures and building the talent pipeline employers need.
2019-2020 Highlights
13506
students have been impacted by our work, despite the challenges of this year
2179
hours were given by 524 volunteers at our events this year
390
careers advice sessions took place, both in-school and online, to support those looking to make their next steps during an uncertain time
785
students attended our Norwich Opportunities Fair together with 38 organisations, expanding our work in the Norwich Opportunity Area
100%
of those who had a careers and apprenticeship advice session with one of our Careers Advisers, funded by the Greater Cambridge Partnership, would recommend this service to others
The Numbers
Students worked with
13506
and we'd planned to work with 7,490 more
Number of volunteers at events
524
and we'd planned to work with 190 more
Volunteer hours at events
2179
and we'd planned for 794 more hours
The numbers that demonstrate the difference
88% of all students said they would recommend our events to someone else having worked with 85 schools.
Students were asked to indicate which skills they had improved from a choice of: Listening, Presenting ideas, Problem-solving, Creativity, Leadership, Working with others and Confidence.
87% said they'd improved in one or more areas and 32% said they had improved in 4 or more of the above. The most commonly cited improvements were in working with others, confidence and listening.
| Year 7 | 85% | said they learnt about a career they didn't know before |
| Year 8 | 76% | said they were more informed about career options |
| Year 9 | 73% | said they knew more about the different pathways into a career |
| Year 10 | 75% | felt more informed about apprenticeship options |
| Year 11 | 70% | said the event helped improve their confidence |
| Year 12 | 72% | said they were better informed about the skills and qualifications needed for their next steps |
| Year 13 | 73% | said the event helped them make decisions about their future |
Annual Conference
Catch up on the latest from our 2020 Annual Conference. Follow along live with #FtFImpactConf
Our Annual Conference is underway! You can follow along with #FtFImpactConf t.co/wk8k3qOVNg
@form_future conference just started! #FtFImpactConf - Can't wait to hear how @form_future continued to support stu… t.co/vKMpRLeDv5
The impact on young people will be generational, unless we do something to mitigate that impact, says @AnnaVignoles… t.co/gsgW3sQNAo
.@school21_uk has a fascinating approach to education, focusing on a Head, Heart and Hand approach to education #FtFImpactConf
While the marketplace is crowded @form_future is ranked 2nd in the list of most active providers and how often they… t.co/1Voy5IIedm
Entrepreneurs and business owners can make a real difference when participating school career activities - showcasi… t.co/ExxhREi9E2
Great to speak alongside @janeCambAhead on the need for dedicated funding to ensure all schools have capacity to de… t.co/lbeniOPPEL
I love the approach of @school21_uk. Fantastic to have Oli de Botton join #FtFImpactConf t.co/Ip6WNECqhe
Great to listen to @VixCrawford leading a discussion at @form_future's conference on how schools and businesses can… t.co/9W09eWAnUt
Great discussion at @form_future conference: how to address skills shortfall resulting from #lockdown? How to ensur… t.co/nk1hqAxxO9
It's workshop time! Our attendees will now join one of 5 workshop sessions, covering topics relating to how we can… t.co/vrtr9TnUhz
That's a wrap on our 2020 Annual Conference! We packed a lot into 2 hours and we're feeling really inspired. A huge… t.co/2EvV9GHxri
Stories
We're lucky to work with some incredible people - from students and careers leads, to our amazing volunteers. Below you'll find a handful of stories from this year, from those in the community who have been impacted by our work.
It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Form The Future to support, advise, encourage and inspire careers facilitators within schools in Norwich to improve their careers programmes. The team are full of endless enthusiasm and are so passionate about what they do. Schools in Norwich continue to progress towards fully achieving the Gatsby benchmarks
Katie White, Programme Manager, Norwich Opportunity Area
Having worked with Form the Future since they started in 2015, I can’t recommend them highly enough to any school or organisation. Now more than ever, employers and educators need to work together creatively, to ensure young people from all backgrounds have the confidence, experience and access to help them meet their full potential. We need to open our doors, both real and virtual, and talk about what we do in ways that will encourage students to find out more
Heidi Mulvey, Head of Community Engagement, Cambridge University Press
Recent Impact News
News
We ran a week long ready for work programme with Suffolk New College students, seeing hundreds of students over the week, and expanding our work into Ipswich.
News
Primary Curriculum Days
We ran Primary Curriculum Days in the Fenland and East Cambridgeshire Opportunity Area, where students worked on a range of activities with our volunteers. 75% of students who took part said that they felt this would help them in school.
Every time I have come back to the classroom today the students have been full of excitement about their activities and what they are learning. The younger year groups especially have all come to show me what they have been making and how the materials work
Assistant Headteacher Primary Curriculum Day
