Making The Leap

Our offices are now closed for Christmas! ❄️ We will reopen on January 8th ready to help you reach your 2025 career goals. But for now, we’re wishing you a relaxing festive break and a Happy New Year 🎉

Congratulations to Paige Lauren Izquierdo, who was named a 2024 “Rising Star” on the inaugural Social Mobility List! Published by Making The Leap, The Social Mobility List highlights key contributors and initiatives driving social mobility in the UK. Individuals are recognized for actively creating positive social change at work and in their communities. “Rising Stars” are professionals under 35 who “stand out,” and “have made a significant contribution to advancing the cause of social mobility.”

We are absolutely over the moon to announce that Flex Legal has been listed in Making The Leap's Social Mobility List for 2024! 💫 The Social Mobility List, in partnership with bp, is a groundbreaking new publication, focused on highlighting the key contributors and initiatives that are driving social mobility in the UK. The list features a comprehensive overview of individuals, charities, and companies making significant strides in advancing social mobility across the UK, and we are incredibly proud to be among them as a truly purpose-driven ALSP: https://lnkd.in/eQuhmXKF 8 cohorts, 38 months, 80+ trainees... our Flex Trainee scheme is an unstoppable force, focussed on providing life-changing opportunities for exceptionally talented socially mobile lawyers. But our mission doesn't stop there - get in touch to find out how you can support the next generation with our upcoming cohort in Spring 2025: https://lnkd.in/d-mJmquZ #diversityinlaw #socialmobility #legalaward #socialmobilitylist

😀 The amazing charity, Making The Leap and bp teamed up this year to launch "The Social Mobility List" to highlight key contributors and initiatives supporting social mobility. It is certainly worth a read and there are some amazing individuals spotlighted in it (like Patrick McCann, Joanna Hughes and Sophie Pender) 🙌 We were really happy to see Flex Legal featured for the small impact we are having with our Flex Trainee programme too! 🙌 🚀 We are super excited about having an even bigger impact in 2025 with our new Lawyers with Purpose offering: donating £100 for every lawyer placed into our social mobility fund to support future trainees. 💥 If you are looking for interim help at any level and also want to help improve the profession for future generations - please come and speak to us in 2025 as we would love to help. 💥 https://lnkd.in/gB7sDDtD

The Social Mobility List 2024 showcases the key contributors and initiatives driving social mobility in the UK and tackling systemic issues in our communities. Our Community Programme list celebrates the programmes organisation are running that are making a real difference to the employment and life chances of those who need the most help in our communities. For 2024, our Community Programme list are 👇 Barclays – focused on closing the digital skills gap, Barclays initiatives are teaching and supporting communities, including attendees that span across 31 social mobility cold spots Heathrow – dedicated to supporting the community, Heathrow have provided education and skills support for young people through initiatives like Heathrow World of Work and the Heathrow Employment and Skills Academy Norton Rose Fulbright – actively levelling the playing field, Norton Rose Fulbright’s programmes expose young people to professional services, highlights career paths, and helps develop workplace readiness skills. Sky – committed to hands-on development, Sky have created immersive programmes to give valuable experience in media for students in under-served areas and across the nation Knight Frank – aiming to inspire students, Knight Frank’s key activities are helping develop vital networking skills and career guidance for students aspiring to a career in property Sodexo – Recognising the need for early intervention, Sodexo have leveraged their resources to equip students with financial literacy skills and help prevent educational disruption Interested in learning more? You can read further about the work being undertaken by each of our Leaders here 👉 socialmobilitylist.com

Last week, Fellows of our ACE Programme came together for a Christmas gathering at Howard Kennedy LLP to reflect on the activities and achievements of the alumni community throughout 2024 🎄 We heard from Responsible Business Manager at Howard Kennedy Katie Pour, who spoke about our ongoing partnership, followed by an evening of festive food and activities to round off the year ❄️ We want to thank Howard Kennedy for hosting us and to their colleagues who joined us for the event. A big congratulations to our Fellows on their successes this year! Elaine Broughton Reema K. Felece J. Lucy Pryce Nicole Chapman Emily Davies 

Available to read now, the Social Mobility List 2024 showcases the key contributors and initiatives driving social mobility in the UK. When it comes to social mobility practice, pre-recruitment initiatives are an important piece of the puzzle. Our Pre-Recruitment Programme list celebrates organisations who have developed and run work experience, internships, insight events and more that help provide an important first step in the right direction to securing employment. For 2024, our Pre-Recruitment Programme list are 👇 bp – committed to breaking down barriers, bp provide over 500 work experience opportunities each year to bolster the future talent pipeline of the industry. Nationwide Building Society – in an effort to empower young people, Nationwide has taken a significant step forward with the introduction of several new programmes to provide invaluable industry experience, mentorship and financial support Norton Rose Fulbright – supporting students aspiring to a career in law, Norton Rose Fulbright are breaking down the barriers providing young people with the resources to succeed through initiatives like their bursary programme PwC – committed to expanding career routes for young people, PwC are ring-fencing programmes and work experience to ensure students without familial connection are supported in their career options. Worley – recognising that a student’s career trajectory can be dramatically altered by access to opportunities, Worley have provided hands-on experience to over 2500 state-school students to encourage and support them in realising their potential Want to read more? You can learn further about the work being undertaken by those on our Pre-Recruitment Programme list here 👉 socialmobilitylist.com

Thank you Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation for announcing us among your charitable grants for 2025! 🎉 With your support, we will launch our new Ambassador Programme for young people within our alumni community to support their ongoing personal and professional development. Felece J. Lucy Pryce

We’re excited to announce our 2025 grant recipient charities: Bookmark Reading Charity, Envision, EveryYouth, Go Live Theatre Projects, GoodWork, halow, Key4Life, Making The Leap, Northampton Saints Foundation, ReachOut and Tutors United. A big thank you to Weightmans for hosting our Grants Reception yesterday and to everyone who joined us in awarding grants to these eleven amazing charities. Thanks also to the many individuals and companies who supported IICF this year – helping us to raise vital funds and change the lives of more than 500 people in our local communities. About IICF: The UK has one of the poorest rates of social mobility in the developed world. IICF is helping to improve social mobility and change lives through our by presenting a coordinated approach to volunteering, leadership and grants to charities nominated by leaders in insurance that are working to advance social mobility ways that meet local community needs. Visit www.iicr.org.uk to learn how you can get involved. #insurancegivesback  #iicfimpact #socialmobility #socialimpact

The newly released Social Mobility List 2024 celebrates and showcases the key contributors and initiatives driving social mobility in the UK. We recognise the grave importance of recruitment practices for social mobility, so the Recruitment Programme list identifies organisations who tackle social mobility head-on through apprenticeships, sourcing prospective employees from unexpected places, and figuring out how to support people as they begin their careers. For 2024, our Recruitment Programme List are 👇 AMS – designed to impact social value, AMS has given opportunity, support and care to thousands of young people through ethical skilling practices to address the skills gap Grant Thornton UK LLP – working relentlessly to improve access and opportunity, Grant Thornton have led numerous programmes to enable non-biased, fair and inclusive recruitment processes including work experience and community impact programmes NatWest – at the heart of their purpose, NatWest demonstrate a commitment to social mobility through supporting and developing talented individuals through apprenticeship programmes like Elevate to help knock down entry barriers and ensure everyone has a fair chance of success PwC – committed to providing students with careers opportunities that may otherwise seem out of reach, PwC have launched 3 ring-fenced initiatives to develop, enable and support students moving towards their future careers Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP – challenging the biases and boundaries that hold people back, Womble Bond Dickinson have created initiatives like the Early Talent recruitment programme to provide apprenticeships and work experience for those who face multiple hurdles and prejudice in the labour market Interested in reading further? You can read more about the work being undertaken by those on our Recruitment Programme list here 👉 socialmobilitylist.com