The Access Project

University isn't just about getting a good qualification - it's about finding your community 🤝

Caleb, a year 12 pupil from London, is taking part in The Access Project alongside his A levels. Earlier this year, he took a school trip to the University of Bath to learn more about student life. He enjoyed touring the campus and making himself at home amongst his future peers.

🗣️ "Being there made me realise how important it is to actually like the environment and be able to picture yourself there."

It's ! Our pupils are shouting out the tutors supporting them through their GCSE and A level studies 💚

Huge thanks to all the tutors, skills coaches, and our colleagues working in schools to inspire the next generation and help them achieve in school and beyond 🎓

Did you know that two thirds of students take on paid work to cover basic living costs?

Students working under 20 hours per week are found to be 20% more likely to achieve “good” honours (a 2:1 or first for undergraduates, merit for postgraduates) than those working over 20 hours. Long hours, low pay, and insecure contracts are also harming wellbeing.

Young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds already face significant disadvantage when accessing university – they shouldn’t be facing even further financial barriers once they’re studying.

We're advocating for better financial solutions to ensure all young people have the opportunity for further study.

Read more 👉 https://loom.ly/bzWloUE

- and on , we're shouting our student stories from the rooftops 📢

The Access Project has been helping young people to achieve social mobility since 2008. Fatos was one of the first students to take part in The Access Project on its pilot programme. 18 years later, Fatos is a Senior Customer Success Manager at Adobe, and a member of our Board of Trustees.

"As a former student on the programme, I know the impact The Access Project can have on students from under-represented backgrounds. [...] The Access Project gives young people inspiration, hope and encouragement to dream bigger. There are so many students who still need this and there’s still so much work for us all to do!”

Read more about our impact on young peoples' social mobility 🔗 https://loom.ly/SYrNHzo

"One thing that has remained constant is how much my students inspire me"

Eshika Kaypee, University Access Officer at The Access Project, writes about her experience supporting pupils in Colmers School to access top universities.

https://loom.ly/9b6_QT4

"My students inspire me" - Empowering pupils in the West Midlands - The Access Project by Eshika Kaypee Having worked at Colmers School for nearly two years as a University...

As the number of NEET young people continues to rise, we remain committed to helping the next generation build their skills and access high quality education.

As part of the , we are calling on the Government to tackle rising NEET numbers and introduce a Student Premium for 16–19 education as part of the 2027 Spending Review.

▶️ Young people eligible for free school meals are 3 x less likely to attend university.
▶️ Each step up the qualification ladder roughly halves the chances of being NEET in your early 20s.
▶️ Lacking GCSE English and Maths is the single biggest shared characteristic of young people who are long term NEET.

Act now. Join the campaign 🔗 https://loom.ly/WSuu9Vg

Wrapping up - we couldn't see out the week without adding to the Canopi shoutout board in our London office!

Thanks again to all of our fantastic volunteer skills coaches and tutors. You're helping make education fairer for everybody, and we're so lucky to have you on board ⭐💚

Feeling inspired to volunteer? 💚

We're on the lookout for volunteers to join our next cohort of skills coaches! You don't need any previous volunteering experience - just a willingness to give back and an ambition to help young people to grow, achieve, and thrive in school and beyond ⭐

Sign up today to start volunteering in January 2027! 🔗 https://loom.ly/zy0pSzQ

What better time than to shout out our volunteers? ☀️

Lucia volunteers as a skills coach, guiding young people to grow skills that will help them thrive in school, university, and the workplace. She says that coaching young people has been "one of the most rewarding things I've done so far" . 💚

Thank you, Lucia - and to all of our amazing volunteers making a difference in young peoples' lives 👏

As the inquiry into student loans and taxation of graduates takes place in Westminster today, and the BBC reports that a third of British people now think that university isn't worth it, we have been exploring the big question about the benefits of going to a top university. Students from under-resourced backgrounds already face considerable challenges and should have the same opportunities to achieve their potential.

Does university remain a viable route for students on our programmes? 🎓

Read our full blog on our website: https://loom.ly/8QEZFbs

Is university worth it? Higher education and social mobility - The Access Project According to the British Social Attitudes Survey, a third of British people now think that...