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Raising aspirations: building a pipeline of future leaders

Updated 21 October 2025

BT/EE and Future Leaders UK are working together to reduce youth inequality in Northern England by supporting disadvantaged young people through a new Manchester hub and dedicated mentoring programmes.​

The challenge

Disadvantaged young people across the UK continue to face barriers, but the situation is especially acute in the North of England. The Social Mobility Commission finds that “the least favourable opportunities for young people tend to be in the North East and North West,” with several Greater Manchester authorities reporting unfavourable childhood conditions and weaker youth labour market prospects.

Across England, disadvantaged young people are 16 percentage points less likely to be in education, an apprenticeship or work after GCSEs, and by age 28, they earn nearly £5,800 less on average. In the North West, only 20% of disadvantaged young people reach grade 5 in English and maths at GCSE, and just 55% are in sustained destinations by age 28. With the national disadvantage gap at GCSE now the widest since 2012 and NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) rates around 13 to 14%, the need for targeted support is clear.

The solution

To help address this, BT/EE collaborated with Future Leaders UK to sponsor their Manchester hub. This is part of our Social Value commitment as a supplier to the Home Office’s Emergency Services Network.  As sponsor of the hub, we’re helping Future Leaders UK support hundreds of young people who face social and economic exclusion. The hub offers a safe and inspiring space where young people can access mentoring, skills development workshops and career-focused programmes. It’s designed to help them build confidence, discover new possibilities, and take meaningful steps toward their goals.

But the ambition is far greater. The Manchester hub is not just about short-term support; it’s also about building a pipeline of future leaders across the region. By connecting young people to real opportunities with employers, universities and mentors, the hub aims to close the attainment gap, reduce barriers to social mobility, and create community role models. Over time, the vision is to establish the Manchester hub as a centre for youth empowerment in the North of England, providing opportunities to more young people and demonstrating what’s possible when business and community come together to tackle inequality head-on.

The result

In June, Future Leaders proudly opened their Manchester hub—a vibrant, welcoming space at the heart of the community. Already, more than 200 young people have benefited from its programmes – building skills, meeting mentors, and gaining the confidence to pursue education and career opportunities they may not have considered before.

BT/EE’s involvement has extended beyond sponsorship – offering immersive, real-world experiences that bring future possibilities to life. Earlier this year, we hosted two major events. The first, our Tech Insight Day at BT’s London HQ, highlighted how innovation drives everything we do - from connectivity to community safety. Students explored cutting-edge technology, discovered that BT holds more AI patents than any other UK company and took part in hands-on activities in our Future Zone and Immersive Space. They also heard inspiring stories from our Early Careers Panel, helping them imagine their own futures.

The second event, held at BT’s New Bailey office in Manchester, gave participants practical experience with apprenticeship activities and explored how technology, like EE’s network, supports everyday life.

Together, these events formed part of a wider mentoring programme, supporting hundreds of young people across the UK with guidance, inspiration, and real-world insight to help them build brighter futures.

Young people themselves are describing the impact best:

Before Future Leaders, I didn’t know where to start with my career. Now I feel like doors are opening that I never thought were for me.

Having a mentor who believes in me has made such a difference. I finally see university as something I can achieve.

With BT/EE’s support, the Manchester hub is laying foundations for long-term transformation – unlocking potential, creating brighter futures, and proving that where you start in life should never determine where you finish. Building on this success, we’ll be working with Future Leaders to expand the programme to other communities across the UK. 

Quote from Future Leaders CEO

Our Manchester hub is proof of what’s possible when business and community come together. With BT/EE’s support, we’re creating a space where young people who might otherwise be overlooked can access the skills, networks, and confidence to succeed. This is just the beginning. We want to see the hub grow into a beacon for social mobility in the North, inspiring a generation to believe in themselves and in what they can achieve.

Faheem Khan, CEO, Future Leaders UK

Quote from a Student

Before joining Future Leaders, I wasn’t sure what direction to take. At the hub I’ve learned new skills, met mentors who believe in me, and discovered opportunities I didn’t know existed. It’s given me the confidence to aim higher and to see a future for myself that feels achievable.

Abdulla, Student, Year 12

Images

Images from BT led events