Tāwai Takapiri Connect Futures: Inspiring a new organisation for alumni networks in New Zealand
Tāwai Takapiri Connect Futures supports schools in low socio-economic communities to develop thriving, enriching, sustainable alumni networks. The organization was founded following a seminar and working group led by inHive’s Abi Nokes and alumni expert, Vicki Fowler. We provided ongoing support during the set-up of the organisation, including the design of the pilot programme that is now running in ten schools across the country. inHive’s Abi Nokes continues to sit on the Board of Advisors for Tāwai Takapiri Connect Futures and the organisation will be participating in the Global Network. …
PEDN: Empowering under-resourced schools in Uganda with alumni support
The Private Education Development Network (PEDN) runs programmes in low-cost private schools serving under-resourced communities in Uganda. inHive worked with PEDN to integrate alumni networks into primary and secondary schools in its Eastern and Central regions from early 2019 to 2020. Our work included training staff in the inHive approach to network building, coaching them through the implementation phase and monthly strategy and planning discussions. The work was delivered as part of Opportunity International’s grant with the UK Government’s Girls’ Education Challenge Project. Joy Mukisa, Programs Director at PEDN, said in late 2019: “I thank inHive for training me and …
Health Poverty Action: Improving life chances of marginalised girls in Rwanda
Health Poverty Action (HPA) takes a social justice approach to health, tackling the root causes of poor health like poverty. inHive is working with HPA to develop alumni networks at 28 schools in Rwanda, as part of work funded by the Girls’ Education Challenge. We supported HPA with programme design, training and ongoing evaluation and support and the work is already having an immediate impact. Since September 2017, alumni engagement has helped to decline absenteeism, improved careers advice and boosted school’s financial resources. One alumni group lobbied local leaders to provide free school meals for the poorest students. The Health …
Akazi Kanoze Access: Championing network building in Rwanda
Akazi Kanoze Access (AKA) helps fight unemployment of young people from the most vulnerable families in Rwanda. inHive has established a partnership with AKA to champion the prospect of alumni network building at 45 schools in Kigali, Rwanda. Our work included scoping feasibility and researching the potential of networks to tackle the underlying challenge of youth unemployment. The vast majority of participating schools welcomed the prospect of alumni engagement and we are continuing to pursue fundraising prospects for a full scale pilot programme. Valence Twagizihirwe, Executive Director of AKA, said: “inHive has a strong and hardworking team. You can be …
SHADE’S STORY: “MY ADVICE?DON’T BE LIKE ME!”
SHADÉ IS A YOUNG SOUTH AFRICAN WHO OVERCOME HIGH INEQUALITY AND YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN HER AREA TO PURSUE FURTHER EDUCATION AND EARN A JOB. BUT IT WASN’T EASY AND NOW SHE IS SHARING HER STORY TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE AT HER FORMER SCHOOL TO CARVE OUT THEIR OWN PATH FORWARD. By Ján Michalko Sitting around a table decked with fried chicken and bread, Shadé is reflecting on her life with a small group of students from her former school. One year on from graduating, she’s currently studying for a certificate in Computer Science at a local college. This will …
inHive: Every School a Community (2013)
This is the research that launched inHive as an organisation, back when it was known as Future First Global. It’s an in-depth feasibility study across nine countries that demonstrates the universal value of alumni networks in schools and shares examples of ad hoc best practice around the world. Foreword Future First has been building alumni communities in state schools in the UK for five years now. Its work has led to a national rise in state school alumni engagement and a culture shift that is far greater than the organisation itself; the country has gone from less than 1% of …
inHive: From Cohorts To Communities (2015)
This is a best practice guide that helped establish inHive as a thought leader in alumni development, back when it was known as Future First Global. The guide is based on best practice from the UK as well as interviews with alumni practitioners from mature and thriving alumni networks in over 30 countries. Introduction Issues of impact, sustainability and community development have led to a marked increase in programmes looking to develop their alumni activities. This ‘how to’ guide is designed to help organisations take the next step, or even the first step, in building their own alumni programmes. Amongst …
Schools are not just a tool for economic growth – they should help young people thrive
Future First Global Project Lead, Ján Michalko, looks at the importance of so-called ‘soft skills’ for young people as they enter the jobs market and how schools should do more to foster them. Country leaders want their people to be efficient and effective workers. They need people to be trained to drive economic growth and excel in the fourth industrial revolution that we are in. And so as a result, our education assessments zoom in on young people’s technical skills and we rank schools according to this specific economic worldview. But what often falls to the side-lines are our connections; …
South African Youth Organisations Establish Community of Practice
First Global has helped establish a community of practice on alumni engagement in South Africa. Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation hosted a workshop for organisations that provide scholarships for young South Africans and run programmes supporting their education, entrepreneurship and employment. Participating organisations recognised that despite the support of their programming, young people, especially those who are marginalized by their economic status and race, still face immense challenges after they graduate. So the question of how to continue support for programme alumni in a sustainable and impactful way became one of the key issues discussed at the meeting. Future First Global facilitators, …
UKAID Award for social mobility pilot in Pakistan
Future First Global and CARE Foundation have been awarded a grant from the Small Charities Challenge Fund (SCCF) to pilot an innovative approach to improving social mobility through Alumni Networks. The fund by UKAID supports charities to achieve sustained poverty reduction and the partnership between Future First Global and CARE was awarded £50,000. Future First Global are experts in building strong youth-centred networks and the CARE Foundation run a network of over 800 schools in Pakistan. Together they will pilot alumni communities at 100 schools in the country, aiming to improve social mobility by increasing young people’s access to strong …
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