Launchpads, not Barriers
We often talk about closing the gaps from cradle to career—and one of the biggest strengths of our alliance is the diversity of our members, tackling educational inequity at every stage. In this post, we zoom in on access to higher education.
Our Fair Education Impact Goals show that the gap in university enrolment between low-income students and their peers is at its widest ever—especially at top universities. We need systems change to close this gap and tackle the root causes – from early years onwards. It’s a big challenge, but we’re here to drive that change through innovation, collaboration, and collective action.
We asked two of our Innovation Award winners share their insights on the barriers young people face—and the bold steps being taken to break them down:
Alaya Holloway - FirstGens CIC
What’s happening on the ground?
Education should be a launchpad, not a barrier. The university experience is challenging for many undergraduates, but first-generation students often encounter additional hurdles. These students face not only academic and financial leaps but also the complex social and cultural landscape of higher education. Setting out on an uncharted journey without the roadmap coordinates can be compared to walking in the dark, while others have a torch.
Alongside the systemic educational barriers, universities often lack the capacity, budget and community awareness. As a result, institutions fail to provide appropriate support that addresses the generational knowledge and social gap, leading to disparities in outcomes across continuation, attainment, and graduate outcomes.
How can we close the outcomes gap?
At FirstGens, we exist to change that story - envisioning an education system where students least likely to attend, are empowered with the knowledge, confidence, and opportunities to navigate higher education. So that students don’t just make it to university - but through it, and beyond.
A world of possible
FirstGens' pilot attracted applications from students across 28 UK universities, highlighting the power of community in driving change from within.
“When I first saw that there was this type of support, I thought wow, someone’s heard my prayers.” -(Year 1 undergraduate student).
Our newly launched Impact Report shows what’s plugging the outcome gap and outlines the bold next steps we’re taking to do our part in building a fairer, more inclusive education system.
The first report takes you on our startup journey, highlighting what's happening on the ground, and the urgent challenges affecting equity in higher education today.
The report will share stories from current students, for example, you’ll hear Mia's story, where FirstGens played a key role in helping her decide to complete her programme instead of dropping out.
Read the Impact Report First_Gens_Impact_Report 2023-2024.pdf
The next chapter of the startup C.I.C journey
We've established a leadership team, onboarded passionate volunteers, launched successful pilots and supported students in transformational ways. Now, we're ready to reach more students and we need partners to help us create long-standing and systemic change for generations of students to come.
This Is Where FEA Members come in
We know that addressing education inequality requires collective action, which is why coming together at FEA is so important.
We’re early in our journey and excited to collaborate to make real change. Here’s how you can help:
Follow our journey on FG LinkedIn | CEO LinkedIn.
Connect us with graduate employers CSR and graduate teams.
Introduce us to your contacts in university departments, especially those working with widening participation and student success teams.
Refer your first-generation students to our UCAS page.
Connect us with potential funders and/or philanthropists who want to make a lasting impact on education equity.
By breaking down the barriers across the entire education system we can ensure young people get the education they deserve.
Yusuf Ben-Tarifite - Aspiring Medics
Too many talented young people are locked out of medicine simply because of their background. Private school students remain five times more likely to gain a place at medical school than their state-educated peers. That’s why we created AVA—an AI-powered, virtual mentor breaking down these barriers.
Co-founded by NHS doctor and Oxford graduate Dr Yusuf Ben-Tarifite as well as Yasmim Baker, an Imperial Medical Student, AVA delivers personalised, real-time interview coaching to thousands of disadvantaged students—offering the kind of tailored support traditionally reserved for the privileged few.
Backed by research from Oxford University and the Sutton Trust, AVA has already boosted students’ confidence by 30% in just 8 weeks. We’re now looking to collaborate with schools, trusts, and funders to expand our impact.
If you’re passionate about equity in education, let’s connect. Book a call with Dr Yusuf:
👉 https://calendly.com/aspiringmedics/15min
Together, we can level the playing field.