Fiona Chazhoor was Group HR Manager at retail firm Fever-Tree, when we first partnered with the business to run career coaching sessions for disadvantaged Year 10 students. It was a partnership born in lockdown and we were thrilled to work with Fever-Tree again this year, when in-person coaching was possible once more.
Here, Fiona explains why the business chose to partner with Future Frontiers, and how it has benefited their people and organisation.
Why tackling social mobility and educational inequality is important to our business
We began our journey with Future Frontiers in the heart of lockdown - a time that put a halt on every child’s education across the country. Parents were coming into work with stories of their first experiences of home-schooling and immense gratitude to those who were previously teaching their children on a daily basis.
Lockdown meant that ultimately it wasn’t just the education that was impacted for children, it further meant that the line between those at an advantage against those in deprived areas became even more evident.
“It was inspiring to see our employees connect with the young people and offer insight and knowledge to them about our growing business.”
This is why tackling these inequalities is pivotal to a diverse and equal society. All children must have equal chances at forming their own future.
Partnering with Future Frontiers
Even from the initial stages of engaging with the Future Frontiers team, it was evident that this was a charity that truly cared about helping children, especially those that had been “forgotten” about.
Every member of the Future Frontiers team we spoke to were educators and their stories reflected the difference that can be made by education in improving social immobility.
We felt at ease partnering with Future Frontiers because of this, as the priority was always to ensure students get the right help.
Over the course of the three years that we ran the programmes, the initial two were done virtually, and only in 2022 did we have the ability to meet the students face to face. It made such a difference for both the mentors and the students to be able to communicate in person.
This also helped our recruitment for next year, as more of the team could see the students in the office and see what difference they can make.
The support from Future Frontiers was second to none.
All of the support throughout our journey with Future Frontiers was second to none. All the representatives were approachable and friendly, allowing us to make the most of our partnership. The FF team were fabulous at keeping the students calm and engaged.
"A true highlight of the programme was being able to see the students’ confidence grow. The students were able to learn more each day allowing them to progress in areas of their interest. "
Improved communication and leadership skills
We always strive to be ‘people-centric’ at Fever-Tree, so it was fantastic to see the Future Frontiers programme improve on our communication and leadership skills. It was inspiring to see our employees connect with the young people and offer insight and knowledge to them about our growing business.
A true highlight of the programme was being able to see the students’ confidence grow. The students were able to learn more each day allowing them to progress in areas of their interest. My student in particular enjoyed the fact that she could go into publishing due to her love for books.
A win-win for everybody
There are only so many charities that engage both the company and the charity equally. This was definitely one of them. Future Frontiers makes a real change by tackling social inequalities right from the start.
Over a 6 week period, we were able to assist Year 10 pupils in our local area to gain an understanding of a career and extended study options open to them when they leave school.
We would absolutely encourage any businesses considering the Future Frontiers programme to go for it. It’s been a win-win for everybody.
The Future Frontiers coaching programme can make a life-changing difference to young people, and our business partners and coaches provide essential input and support. Get in touch to find out more.
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