It’s somewhat staggering to think, or indeed accept, that somewhere around 70% of babies born today will live their entire lives on the same rung on the social ladder they were born into. 

According to a recent report from the country’s foremost economic think tank, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, it’s becoming harder to move up the social ladder than at any point in more than half a century.

In the creative industries, the situation is even worse as only 16% of the workforce comes from working class backgrounds, and those from privileged backgrounds are more likely to shape what goes on stage, page and screen.

However, inclusion and diversity is so important for many reasons, not least for boosting diversity of thought and innovation at all levels, to enabling creativity and allowing us to truly reflect the modern society we live in. 

And that’s where the quite wonderful organisation called Making The Leap come in.

Making The Leap is a London-based charity that improves social mobility by raising the aspirations of, and increasing opportunities for young people.

• They provide essential skills to help make the difference between success and failure when it comes to employment opportunities, Skills that encompass attitudes, aspiration, self management and skills that have been shown to influence recruitment to the top professions.
  
• Their schools programme provides a number of excellent interventions for pupils in underprivileged areas. These range from educational courses preparing children for work experience, to programmes targeted at boosting a child’s motivation and performance.
  
• Delivered by a team of expert staff and highly-trained & committed volunteers, their tailored sessions expose pupils to the soft skills, behaviours and attitudes needed to succeed in – and beyond – school.
  

During their 30 years, over 75,000 people from school children to young adults, those who most need support, have benefited from the services that Making The Leap have provided. 80% of these have achieved education, employment or training outcomes.

However as wonderful as this all sounds, and as wonderful the work being done, this is far from being simply tribute to the wonderful work that Making The Leap do. 

A role for you

We want you to open your doors to opportunities, not simply to internships but to provide your skill sets to help in the development of these essential skills that make such a difference.

We want you to join Making The Leap and help change the lives of those who truly deserve a break. The skills are there in abundance, the determination is ever evident, but so are the benefits

A mutually beneficial relationship

But do so, not just in the spirit of charity but in the belief, and with the understanding that the help you provide will returned in the bucket loads.

• An ED&I strategy
  • By working with Making The Leap, you can develop a strategy, design outreach and recruitment programme tailored to your needs.

• Developmental opportunities for existing employees
  • Research from thousands of employee surveys found that workers feel valued and are more likely to stay with their employer for a long time if they offer voluntary programmes. Making The Leap will allow you to provide employees with opportunities to:
    • Gain new perspectives through working with young people from diverse backgrounds and build connections with the local community
    • Learn essential leadership skills such as active listening, objective setting, providing constructive feedback and empathy

• A more representative, and therefore valuable, workforce
  • You will be able to access more socially diverse employee emerging talent. Enriching your culture whilst also helping to address the issue.

Social immobility is a dreadful truth of British culture, one that is wholly unjust. So let's step up, stand up, be the change we would like to see in the world.  Let’s flip the script.