Connie Howley interned with Future First Global for two weeks under a Teach First Leadership Development programme. As part of her storytelling project, she interviewed three board members about their roles. If you are interested in becoming a board member, we have a vacancy so please apply here.
Approaching the end of my Summer Project at Future First Global, I have learnt more about the charity sector in the last two weeks than the previous 22 years!
As a participant on Teach First’s Leadership Development Programme, I thought I was knowledgeable when it came to the problems and solutions of educational inequality. The latter I had assumed came from progressive teaching methods, extracurricular trips and career advice sessions. But working at Future First Global has opened my eyes to a powerful new solution: alumni.
Who is Future First Global?
Future First Global’s original mission is beautifully simple: to make every school into a community. Founder and current Trustee Jake Hayman vocalised the idea of putting alumni, a goldmine that every school around the world is sitting on, to the benefit of students. Studies have shown that alumni are willing to give back to their community, but without a structured framework provided by schools this is hard to do. This is where Future First Global comes into the picture.
They work with and advise NGOs, governments and school networks to make the most of former students and their knowledge. Putting Hayman’s idea into practise, Future First Global have already had their share of successes: partnering with Akazi Kanoze Access they designed and implemented a programme in 46 schools in Rwanda, of which 90% reported progress in their alumni community inside just three months. While their work with Educaid in Sierra Leone has established a thriving alumni network, who were able to support students affected by the floods of 2017.
As they continue to grow, Hayman’s idea is gradually becoming a movement for change across the world. Speaking to the Board Members it is clear all have thought in depth about the long-term prospects of Future First Global. Dan Keyworth, a Director for Customer Engagement at Blackbaud, aspires for the charity to establish itself as an umbrella organisation: building sustainable alumni and student networks inside and outside of schools, connecting these communities and influencing government decisions.
Kathy Edersheim, President of Impactrics and former president of the Yale Club, shares her excitement that charities like Future First Global are pioneering a new way to view alumni. As an expert in the field, she explains how traditionally alumni were classed by their economic value but increasingly are being seen in terms of the power they can bring to communities. By providing students with a champion that they can relate to who is thriving in a career they are interested in, students learn how and are motivated to emulate this success.
Hannah-May Wilson, a Senior Technical Consultant, establisher of the PAL Network and now a Consultant for the Global Partnership for Education, stresses how this idea is particularly powerful in a global context. Statistically speaking, in developing countries students are facing barriers that students in the Western world are not. Particularly in rural communities, they are disadvantaged when making the transition from education to work. Future First Global’s work in these countries is reversing this inherent disadvantage.
Working on the board
Speaking with Dan, Kathy and Hannah-May I realise how all three Board Members have differing passions and expertise that led them to their position. Hannah-May praises this, explaining that not only are you appreciated for what you bring to the table as trustees, but you also benefit from the knowledge and expertise of all the other Board Members sitting around it.
Their roles go beyond the traditional legal and fiduciary duties and they are encouraged to take a hands-on approach and help lead positive changes in education.
Joined with an effective staff body, all forces are working together and succeeding in creating a world where every young person, whatever their background, has access to local career mentors, role models and work experience providers.
If you are interested in becoming a Future First Global Trustee, please take a look at the job description here.