National law firm Foot Anstey has become the first law-firm employer partner of the Colyton Foundation’s Your Future Story programme, recognising a shared mission to improve social mobility and broaden access to opportunity for young people from under-resourced backgrounds across the South West.
The firm will work alongside schools, universities and employers to help young people better understand the pathways available to them through higher education and professional careers.
Employer engagement is a core part of the programme’s design, helping participants connect classroom learning with future careers and access the kinds of insight, role models and workplace experiences that are often harder to reach in rural and coastal communities. Foot Anstey colleagues will host employer insight visits, providing students with first-hand experience of a professional services environment and introducing them to the wide range of careers available in the legal sector.
The programme is focused on the South West of England, where the challenge is particularly acute. According to the Foundation’s evidence base, the region has the lowest higher education progression rate in England: in 2021/22, only 18.7% of pupils eligible for free school meals progressed to higher education in the South West, compared with 29% nationally. Limited transport links and reduced access to enrichment opportunities heighten barriers, even for young people who have already demonstrated strong academic potential.
Your Future Story helps bridge that gap through sustained, early intervention. In its first year, the programme supported 127 year-7 students from 32 schools across Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset. Each participant achieved among the top 20-25% of pupils nationally at Key Stage 2, and around 90% were eligible for free school meals.
Support for these students will continue as they move into Year 8, and throughout their time at secondary school, and a second cohort of 130 students joins the programme this year.
Over ten years, the programme aims to support 1,000 young people through mentoring, employer engagement, university visits, personal development, academic support and targeted support for educators and parents.
Now entering its second year, the programme has already had measurable impact. Schools reported students becoming more confident, more ambitious and more aware of the opportunities available to them. Teachers also highlighted the value of employer and university visits in helping young people picture themselves in environments and careers they may not previously have considered accessible.Â
Nick Wakeling, Director of the Colyton Foundation, said ‘This partnership brings together two organisations with a shared ambition to improve social mobility and broaden access to opportunity. Foot Anstey’s commitment to supporting young people makes the firm a natural partner for Your Future Story, and we’re excited about what we can achieve together.
‘As our first law-firm employer partner, Foot Anstey will give young people valuable insight into the legal profession and first-hand experience of a professional-services environment – helping to build their confidence, broaden their horizons and keep future choices open.’
Bola Gibson, Executive Director for Responsible Business at Foot Anstey, added ‘We’re proud to become the Colyton Foundation’s first law firm employer partner and contribute to the important work being delivered through Your Future Story.
Access to professional environments and role models earlier on in education can play an important part in helping young people understand the wide range of opportunities available to them and build aspiration. We’re looking forward to welcoming participants into the firm, sharing our experiences and supporting them as they consider their next steps.’
The partnership forms part of Foot Anstey’s 1% investment of net profits into its Responsible Business programme and reflects the firm’s commitment to creating positive social impact in its local communities.
