A Decade of Impact: Tanisha's View

A decade. Ten years. A lot can change within that time. We have seen the development of technology, a changing political landscape, and an increase in conversations about diversity and equality. The latter is, in part, due to the work of organisations like the EY Foundation, which seeks to enable all young people on free school meals to have employment and earnings potential equitable to that of other young people in the UK.

In the UK, over two million children are eligible for free school meals and are three times more likely to be unemployed by the age of 27 compared to their peers. So, the question is – aren’t businesses missing out on untapped talent? This question dawned on the EY Foundation a decade ago and sparked the beginning of their work towards increasing social mobility.

The EY Foundation continues to grow, working all over the UK in places such as London, Manchester, Birmingham, and many other locations. In my opinion, this is one of its unique selling points as it broadens young people’s ambitions nationally rather than being centralist, which helps to integrate diversity into the employment sphere.

The Foundation’s work largely consists of programmes such as Smart Futures, Our Future, and Your Future. They cover a wide range of industries like real estate, technology, and the not-for-profit sector. These programmes have supported young people and passionate volunteers alike, creating 23,000 volunteering opportunities and reaching over 24,000 young people, including myself!

I’m Tanisha Zaman, and I graduated from both the Impactful Futures and Your Future programmes, as well as being a young volunteer for the EY Foundation. All these opportunities have been outstanding and have been massive turning points for my professional portfolio.

For example, the development of my LinkedIn profile is entirely credited to my time at the EYF, which taught me how to create professional and engaging posts and has led to other opportunities. The entire ‘vibe’ of the Foundation is immaculate. I have never experienced such a friendly and encouraging environment with staff who have supported me on my journey, even outside of the programmes.

As someone from a working-class background, I do not have the inherent connections to leverage professional experiences and develop my employability skills. Therefore, my time at the Foundation has quite literally been life-changing! I have had amazing mentors and coaches who have guided me through achievements such as completing my A-levels.

As we celebrate the EY Foundation's 10-year anniversary, it's important to recognise not only the incredible milestones they've achieved but also the lives they've transformed.

The Foundation's commitment to fostering inclusivity and providing equal opportunities has paved the way for countless young individuals to dream bigger and achieve more. Their unwavering dedication to breaking down socio-economic barriers continues to inspire and uplift communities across the UK. Here’s to many more years of impactful work and empowering the next generation of leaders!