Future Leaders Programme 2024: Empowering Year 10 Students for Success

Case Studies

We’re excited to share the highlights from the 2024 Future Leaders programme, an inspiring initiative designed to help young people develop the skills and confidence needed for higher education and beyond. In 2024, the programme engaged 96 students from Nottingham and Derby.

Why Future Leaders?

The programme aimed to help year 10 students with Black heritage from Nottingham and Derby develop the skills needed to succeed in higher education.

We recognise the challenges faced by students with Black heritage, such as GCSE attainment and reduced representation at top universities. Therefore, the programme was designed to equip learners with the skills and resilience to overcome these challenges.

The Programme

The Future Leaders programme focused on students with Black heritage, helping them build confidence, resilience, and a strong sense of identity. The programme was facilitated by a wide range of experts who truly understand the experiences of young people in the East Midlands, the programme provides a space to explore and celebrate the young people’s unique cultures and backgrounds.

Programme Structure:

1. Exploring the Past: Understanding your history and heritage.

2. Expressing in the Present: Developing your identity and resilience.

3. Looking to the Future: Setting your goals and hearing from inspiring role models.

These themes guided the programme, allowing the young people to connect with their roots, reflect on their current experiences, and plan for their future. The three days took place at the local universities, which gave the young people a taste of university life and the chance to meet inspirational leaders.

Day 1

On the first day, the Future Leaders were asked to make a personal promise about what they wanted to gain from the programme. Whether learning more about their culture or clarifying their future ambitions, each participant set meaningful goals. The workshops were designed to push the young people’s boundaries and help them achieve these objectives.

The Future Leaders took on a research project where they worked in small groups to develop ideas and present their thoughts to the rest of the group. This was facilitated by Professor Onyeka Nubia (The University of Nottingham) and Nathan Addai (Mental Roots).

Despite the cohort expressing nerves, they successfully presented their ideas in front of over 50 people. Many of the learners shared how they would never have imagined doing something like that before Future Leaders but were really proud of this achievement.

Day 2

Day 2 of the programme centred around self-expression through a dance workshop facilitated by Freedom Foundation. The learners practiced some positive affirmations and learnt about the history of Hip-hop before trying a dance routine out for themselves. The dance workshop pushed some of the young people outside of their comfort zones, but the overwhelming feedback was the activity was a great opportunity to try something new and it helped them build confidence and resilience.

In the afternoon, we turned our attention to Diversify Education to learn all about careers and higher education. Some learners had embarked on the programme with an understanding of what they wanted to do in the future, others had changed their minds, and some were still figuring things out. It was a great opportunity for them to explore this further, share ideas, and understand what routes are available.

Day 3

The last day was all about celebrating the achievements of the Future Leaders. With support from Derby College Group and the University of Nottingham the participants had the chance to hear from inspirational role models and ask questions about their next steps. There was a panel discussion with university leaders from the University of Derby and University of Law, PhD students and academics, as well as inspirational figures who had grown up in Nottingham and Derby. Dom Anderson, Nathan Addai, Catherine John-Baptiste, Noma Mguni, Nicola Taylor-Brown, Shanine Fasasi, Kamil Omoteso, and Chukwudi Ukaegbu all shared their experiences with learners. Derby College Group ambassadors provided fantastic mentorship and inspiration throughout the programme.

We wrapped up the programme with a celebration event where the learners got to revisit their journey through the vlog-style videos they created. Each participant received a personalised certificate and a copy of Alison Hammond’s “Black In Time,” a powerful book celebrating Black identity and history.

What comes next?

The Future Leaders programme is more than just an event; it’s a programme that explores identity, expands horizons, and prepares young people for an exciting future. Keep in touch to find out more about our plans for the 2025 programme, including some exciting alumni opportunities.

Thank you once again to all the people involved in making this programme a success.

You can see a video summary of the project below, or view it here:

Learner Feedback

“Now I know that being black isn’t a set limit but I’m still able to achieve”

“I really enjoyed the Future Leaders programme because of the range of inclusivity and really feeling like you belong. I also feel like I was able to connect and relate to the students there. There should definitely be some sort of reunion in Yr 11”

“It’s great, I want to be able to come back once more and I also want other people to experience it”

Teacher Feedback

“This programme has become an essential part of our Y10 delivery”

“… great life advice that they wouldn’t particularly get from their teachers”

“Thank you for providing them with an opportunity to explore who they are and who they could be.”

Parent/Carer Feedback

“The project is good for motivation”

“To encourage children and give hope”

“[Learner] always came home excited to tell me how the day went. All positive and really enjoyed it.”

Blog content written by Abie Whitehead