Following the findings of our report into work experience, we have set out how our model of delivering work experience to young people from low-income backgrounds responds to the report’s recommendations.

Preparation: Give young people the information they need to inform their choice when finding a work experience placement, including an overview of gateways linked to their relevant subjects and interests, the different roles available within a sector, and the practicalities of their specific work experience.

• EY Foundation approach;
  • Employability Workshops: Covering a range of sectors, providing young people from Year 7 to Year 13 an overview of a sector, the opportunity to build soft and technical skills, and hear from volunteers working in that field, all in a one-off session delivered in school or a local employer office.
  • Programme Induction: Providing young people enrolled in our intensive two-week programmes the key logistics, background information, and top tips for succeeding before they begin their full-time work experience.

Social skills and cultural awareness: Provide the opportunity for young people to develop their soft skills and learn how to behave in a workplace.

• EY Foundation approach;
  • Employability Skills Training Week: Providing the young people we support on our intensive programmes a one-week employability skills training programme to start their experience, giving them the opportunity to learn and develop key skills like communication, teamwork and relevant technical skills. Participants also receive placement preparation sessions, coaching them through what to expect as they enter the workplace. 

Practical problem solving: Give young people the chance to solve real world challenges specific to their area of interest and general challenges common to the workplace.

• EY Foundation approach;
  • Independence: Trusting young people to manage their own logistics such as workplace commuting, whilst providing the specific support needed for those from low-income backgrounds including food vouchers to be used for lunch, and expenses for any required significant travel. 
  • Business Challenge Day: Challenging young people on our programmes with a real-world day-long case study. Participants are set a sector-specific challenge by industry partners, before presenting to a team of senior judges who challenge their thinking, providing in-depth feedback and overall encouragement.

Working as part of a team: Provide young people the opportunity to not only meet, but work collaboratively with, new people.

• EY Foundation approach;
  • Business Challenge Day: Programme participants are assigned to diverse teams to generate ideas, develop their in-depth solution, and share responsibility for their final pitch to the challenge judges. This approach is also mirrored throughout the whole programme, with participants having a consistent opportunity to work with new people and develop their teamwork skills.

Hearing from ‘someone like me’: Facilitate the meeting of young people and successful people they could relate to.

• EY Foundation approach;
  • The power of volunteers: Over 23,000 volunteers have delivered employability sessions, work experience and mentoring with EY Foundation over the past decade. Volunteers from diverse backgrounds, most notably from backgrounds the young people we support can relate to, work to break the often-held assumption that certain roles are ‘not for people like me’.

Practical work tasks: Give young people real work to build their knowledge and skillset.

• EY Foundation approach;
  • Business Experience: Each young person on our intensive programmes is placed in a real business in the second week of their programme. Having been introduced to the skills and key sector information they need in the initial Employability Week, Business Experience is the opportunity to put all their learning into practice.  The preparation during the Employability Week gives them the strong foundation they need to make the most of their placement, enabling them to engage in meaningful work experience.

Reflection: Enable young people to learn from their experience through facilitating reflective activities.

• EY Foundation approach;
  • Round up exercises: Self-awareness and reflection sessions are delivered in the initial Employability Week, as well as goal settings for their whole experience. Wrap-up sessions and their programme graduation provide the opportunity to reflect on what they’ve learnt about themselves and their sector or role of interest and consider their next steps, with their mentor acting as the consistent support in following through with their plans.

Ongoing mentoring: Provide young people with support post-placement to leverage momentum and increase social capital.

• EY Foundation approach;
  • Mentoring: Every young person on our high-impact programmes is offered a professional mentor to increase their professional network and support them once they have graduated from our programme. Mentors provide sector specific knowledge, ongoing advice and are a consistent role model for young people to lean on.

If you would like to know more about EY Foundation work experience and programme opportunities, please check out the section on our website here: Our programmes (eyfoundation.com)