SOCIAL MOBILITY: HOW AND WHERE ARE WE CREATING SOCIAL MOBILITY IN EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS?Mentoring, Role Models, and Social Capital

Jonathan Freeman

National Director, Mosaic

About Mosaic

Mosaic inspires young people from deprived communities to realise their talents and potential.

Founded by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2007, Mosaic’s mentoring programmes create opportunities for young people growing up in our most deprived communities. Our programmes are delivered by volunteers and lift the aspirations of young people and close the gap between those aspirations and their attainment.

The communities we serveMosaic supports those growing up in the most deprived communities

83% of the young people we support are growing up in the 20% most deprived communities

84% are from ethnic minorities otherthan White British

71% are Muslim

20% are growing up in families inwhich neither parent is employedand only one-third have both parentsin employment

Social Mobility – the reality for our target beneficiariesThe ceiling really isn’t glassBritish Bangladeshi and British Pakistani students most under-represented within UK universities

Muslims the most disadvantaged faith group in the labour market, with the lowest employment rate and highest economic inactivity rate .

Muslims aged 16-24 over twice as likelyas Christians be unemployed

40% of Muslims are in lowest occupationgroups and least likely to be in amanagerial or professional job.

Pakistani and Bangladeshi women four times more likely to be economically inactive than white women, controlling for qualifications and class background

Social Mobility – the reality for our beneficiaries The ceiling is in place from the startBy age 11, those living in the poorest fifth of UK household have only a 75% chance of reaching the Government’s Key Stage 2 expected levels, compared to 97% of children from the richest fifth.

Those from the poorest fifth of families have a 45% chance of being read to daily at age 3 compared with 80% of children from the richest fifth.

At the age of 4, children in receipt of free school meals will have heard 32 million fewer words than childrenfrom professional families

Less affluent youngsters twice aslikely to feel they had "alreadyfailed in life" if they failed an examor were turned down for a job.

The importance of – meaningful – external engagement in schools

Educational achievement is necessary but not sufficientThere is a “massive disconnect between the world of education and the

world of work”(Innovation Unit)

Teenagers aspirations have nothing in common with projected employment demand. (Education Employers Taskforce)

Each engagement with an employer at school = +£900p.a. extra income by mid-20s (Education Employers Taskforce)

We should expect schools toactively engage the widercommunity to ensure all youngpeople have exposure to positiverole models and ideas of whatthey could achieve – but those outside the school gates must give the support schools need.(CBI)

Soft Skills and Social Capital The business case for aspirations and soft skillsYoung people’s own aspiration to stay on at school after 16 equivalent to 1½ additional terms of learning.

Very clear link between what 11 year-olds said they wanted to do and what they did in later life: of those with professional aspirations at 11, half were in professional jobs aged 42 (National Child Development Study)

Personal and social skills 33 times more important in determining relative life chances – but opportunities to develop these capabilities have narrowed in lower income households. (IPPR )

“In the most challenging areas,parental role models and widerexperience of what young peoplemight be able achieve may notbe readily available to youngpeople, particularly because theUK has unintentionally built oneof the most highly socially segregated school systems in the world. “(CBI)

Young people will succeed if they are supported by those who are already successful.

We link young people with positive role models, who can enhance their confidence, self-efficacy and long-term employability.

Each of our programmes is based on a foundation of mentoring support, tailored to the needs of particular groups:

• Primary School students• Secondary School students• Ex Offenders

Mosaic’s primary school mentoring programme aims to raise the aspirations of young girls, aged 9 -11 years old, and help empower their mothers to be better able to support their daughters in fulfilling their potential.

The programme includes a visit to a prominent university and a graduation ceremony.

Primary School Mentoring

Secondary School Mentoring

Mentoring support is supplemented with World of Work visits and inspirational presentations. In addition, we offer students access to the Apax-Mosaic Enterprise Challenge business competition and a more intensive programme for those Mentees demonstrating leadership potential.

Mosaic’s impact“The Mosaic scheme is very well run and both the mentors and mentees

reported significant benefits in taking part.” - Demos

10% improvement in likelihood of mentees wanting to go to university.

17% improvement of mentees’ view of likelihood of gaining a university place.

10% increase in mentees’ views that they would be happier in 12 months’ time.

Those with poor initial viewsabout school showed noticeable Improvements post-programme.

Almost all mentors wouldRecommend mentoring to othersand a significant majoritybenefit personally andprofessionally.

Does it really work?

Unlocking the talent and realising the full potential of every young person, whatever their background or circumstances, is a cause close to my heart. It gives me great joy to see the sense of self-worth and belonging Mosaic provides by extending that much-needed helping hand to those of our diverse communities who need it most.

HRH The Prince of Wales Founder of Mosaic

c/o Business in the Community137 Shepherdess WalkLondon N1 7RQ

T +44 (0) 207 566 8650

T: +44 (0) 207 566 8734

E: mosaic@bitc.org.uk

www.mosaicnetwork.co.uk

Registered charity no 297716. Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England and Wales 161253