The Rise Initiative

Inspiring dreams. Equipping leaders.

A brighter future starts here.

We help students and graduates aged 14–24 build the confidence, skills and connections to move into meaningful work, through mentoring, coaching and time with employers.

I'm looking for an opportunity I can offer an opportunity

A community interest company based in Surrey, UK.

A student carrying folders, looking up and smiling

Potential is everywhere. Opportunity is not.

Talent is spread evenly. Access to opportunity is not. A young person's postcode or network shouldn't decide what they can become.

The Rise Initiative builds the bridge between potential and a first real opportunity. We work alongside schools, universities, employers and communities so that young people have the information, the encouragement and the contacts that others take for granted.

Who Rise is for

Find your way in

Students

At school, college or university and looking for work experience or an industrial placement.

Support for students

Graduates

Finished studying, aged 24 or under, and working towards a first graduate role.

Support for graduates

The Rise journey

Discover. Develop. Connect. Lead.

A journey, not a one-off. Each stage builds on the last, so a young person we meet in Year 10 can still have a mentor, a network and a next step at 24.

  1. Year 10 · ages 14–15

    Discover

    Explore your interests and find out what could be possible.

    • Career insight sessions
    • Employer and industry talks
    • Exploring the world of work

  2. Year 11 · ages 15–16

    Develop

    Build skills, confidence and workplace readiness.

    • CV, interview and professionalism workshops
    • Resilience and communication skills
    • Getting ready for work experience

  3. Year 12 · ages 16–17

    Connect

    Meet employers, mentors and people who can open doors.

    • Mentoring with a working professional
    • Employer networking events
    • Insight into the sectors that interest you

  4. Year 13 · ages 17–18

    Lead

    Take the next step and make a positive impact.

    • Student ambassador and peer-leader roles
    • Coaching on your options after school
    • Planning the move to what's next

  5. After school · ages 18–24

    Progress

    Support doesn't stop at the school gates.

    • Apprenticeships and further education
    • Placements and work experience
    • Graduate careers

For students

Work experience and placements start with being ready, and being known

Whether you're choosing GCSE options or applying for a placement year, the hardest part is often knowing where to start and who to ask. We help with both.

Join as a student
  • A mentor in your corner. Regular conversations with a working professional who has been where you want to go.
  • Coaching for applications. CVs, application forms and interviews for work experience, internships and industrial placements.
  • Time with employers. Talks, insight sessions and networking events where you can ask real questions.
  • Skills that travel. Communication, resilience and the workplace habits employers look for.

For graduates

You have the degree. We help with the first break.

The move from study into work is where many young people lose momentum. If you're 24 or under and working towards a graduate role, we stay alongside you while you get there.

We're not a recruitment agency or a jobs board. We help you get ready, get known and get in the room.

Join as a graduate
  • Mentoring. One-to-one guidance from a professional in, or close to, the field you want to enter.
  • Coaching. Practical help with your CV, applications and interviews for graduate roles.
  • Networking with employers. Events and conversations that put you in front of the people who hire.
  • Alumni groups. A community of people a few steps ahead of you who are willing to share what worked.

For employers

Help us open doors

Young people need more than advice. They need to see, experience and understand the world of work. We're building our first group of employer partners now, and an hour of your team's time is enough to start.

Three young people in conversation

A diverse, local talent pipeline

Meet motivated young people early and build relationships before they enter the job market.

Real social value

Deliver community impact and CSR commitments through a structured, credible programme.

Develop your own people

Mentoring and volunteering build leadership, communication and coaching skills across your team.

Start small

Begin with a single talk or mentor and do more once you've seen how it works.

Ways to get involved

  • Give a career talk
  • Mentor a young person
  • Run mock interviews
  • Host a workplace visit
  • Offer work experience
  • Offer an industrial placement
  • Share apprenticeship and graduate roles
  • Join a networking event
Become an employer partner

More ways to partner

It takes more than one organisation

Schools and colleges

Embed the Discover to Lead programme in your careers provision. We complement careers teams, not replace them, and our work is mapped to the Gatsby Benchmarks.

Universities

Work with us to support students and recent graduates who are looking for placements and first roles without a ready-made network.

Funders and CSR teams

Sponsor a programme stage or a cohort, with transparent reporting on outcomes.

Mentors and community groups

Volunteer as a mentor, refer young people, share venues and networks, or co-deliver events and workshops.

What you leave with

What we want every young person to gain

  • Confidence in who they are and what they can achieve.
  • Clarity about their options and possible pathways.
  • Skills for education, employment and life.
  • Connections with mentors, employers and role models.
  • A next step that turns ambition into action.
“The Rise Initiative has helped me believe in my potential and shown me what's possible.”
Young participant

About us

Where you start should not determine how far you can go

The Rise Initiative is a community interest company based in Surrey. We work alongside schools, universities, employers and communities to give young people aged 14–24 the skills, confidence and networks to thrive in education, work and life.

We don't simply tell young people to dream. We help them understand what is possible and equip them to take the next step.

Four young people smiling outside a campus building

Get involved

Let's open doors together

Whether you're looking for direction or have an opportunity to offer, there is a place for you at Rise. Tell us a little about yourself and we'll be in touch.

Or email us at info@theriseinitiativecic.org.

If you're under 16, please ask a parent, carer or teacher to get in touch for you.

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