Welcome to the September edition of the Foundation newsletter
As we move into autumn, we’d like to share an update on some of the work we’ve been supporting to create greater access to skills, opportunity and progression. From investing in new pathways into work for young people, to supporting community organisations across the UK and launching the next phase of our Neurodiversity Index, this month’s newsletter highlights the breadth of activity taking place across the Foundation.
What connects all of this work is the power of partnership. By working alongside charities, employers, researchers, educators and our wider network of Fellows and stakeholders, we can achieve far more. Whether it’s helping a young person understand their route into a growing sector, bringing skills opportunities into communities or building the evidence needed to create more inclusive workplaces, collaboration enables us to combine expertise, reach and insight to create greater impact.
We’re also proud to celebrate the people and organisations making a difference through skills, including our Fellows recognised at this year’s Fellowship in the City. Their achievements, alongside the work of our funding partners and research collaborators, demonstrate what can be achieved when we bring people together around a shared ambition.
New partnership to help young people navigate routes into work
The City & Guilds Foundation has awarded £75,000 to Youth Employment UK to launch Skills for the Future, a new partnership designed to help young people understand the opportunities, skills and routes into growing sectors of the economy.
The pilot will develop digital pathway experiences focused on areas including construction, engineering, digital and green skills, bringing together careers inspiration, industry insight and practical learning to help young people navigate the transition from education into employment.
The partnership comes at a time of growing focus on supporting young people into work. The Government-commissioned Milburn Review is examining the rise in the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), with estimating that over 980,000 16-24-year-olds are NEET.
The Government has also announced measures to help councils identify and support vulnerable young people earlier, building on the Milburn Review.
Youth Employment UK’s 2026 Youth Voice Census provides further insight into the challenges young people face. With 11,508 young people aged 11-30 taking part, the Census highlights the gap between young people’s ambitions and their access to opportunities, including work experience and good-quality local jobs.
Skills for the Future will help address this gap by making sectors, skills and progression routes more visible and easier to navigate, while also providing resources for parents, educators, careers advisers and other professionals supporting young people.
We’re launching the 2027 Neurodiversity Index and inviting employers, HR and DEI professionals, employees and advocates to take part in this year’s research.
Now entering its fifth year, the Neurodiversity Index tracks how employers are progressing on neuroinclusion, helping to move the conversation from intention to real, measurable impact. The research also explores the experiences of employees and whether workplaces are genuinely creating environments where neurodivergent people can thrive.
The survey, led again by our Fellow and research partner, Prof. Amanda Kirby MBBS MRCGP PhD FCGI FRSA, will remain open until November, with the full 2027 Neurodiversity Index due to be published next spring to coincide with Neurodiversity Week.
Whether you’re an employer working to improve neuroinclusion, a HR or DEI leader or an employee with experience of neurodiversity in the workplace, your perspective matters. By taking part, you can help build a clearer picture of where progress is being made, where gaps remain and what genuinely neuroinclusive workplaces look like in practice.
Take part in the 2027 Neurodiversity Index survey and help shape the research from the start.
Celebrating skills, STEM and pathways to progression
It was fantastic to bring together Fellows, charity partners and key stakeholders at Mansion House for this year’s Fellowship in the City, exploring Pathways to Progression with a particular focus on STEM. The afternoon brought together inspiring speakers and a lively panel discussion to explore how we can widen access to engineering and technology careers and create pathways that work for more young people, whatever their starting point.
We also celebrated four exceptional individuals awarded Fellowship Diplomas, recognising their significant contributions to skills, education, social mobility and industry. From the future of engineering and technology to the importance of alternative routes into STEM, the event provided plenty of insight and inspiration, as well as opportunities for guests to turn conversation into action.
Local Community Skills Fund supports 25 organisations across the UK
The City & Guilds Foundation has awarded almost £190,000 to 25 community organisations through the second round of its Local Community Skills Fund, helping people across all four UK nations develop skills and take steps towards employment.
The funded projects reflect the diverse barriers people can face when accessing skills and work. They include traineeships for young people facing barriers to employment, ESOL and digital skills for migrant and refugee women, programmes for people with SEND and neurodivergent people, support for veterans and their families, and specialist training in sectors including hospitality, heritage, textiles and renewable energy.
The fund focuses on organisations rooted in their communities, helping bring skills and employment opportunities closer to the people who need them.
Among the successful organisations are Arc in Stockport, which is delivering hospitality, heritage and retail training for young people experiencing mental health barriers; Beyond the Page in Kent, which is providing ESOL and digital skills for 70 migrant women; and The Pickwell Foundation in North Devon, which is bringing barista training to refugees in a rural community.
These projects demonstrate the difference that locally led, tailored skills provision can make, particularly for people who may face barriers to accessing mainstream training.
