“Inspiring Futures aims to nurture and support our region’s young people into work. That starts with a good education, and we hope by bringing together schools, colleges and evidence-based charities that we can raise the aspirations of our city’s students.
Steve Rigby, Chair of The Rigby Foundation
According to a recent report by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), 66,000 West Midlands based children are living in poverty[1] and 14% of young people are unemployed [2]. This is despite the region having 9,458 (as of May 2025) unfilled vacancies across a wide variety of business sectors, according to the Government's find a job website [3].
The Rigby Foundation is committed to funding programs which help the region’s young people to succeed in education and to have the chance of securing meaningful employment. That is why in January 2025 we launched our ground-breaking social mobility project, ‘Inspiring Futures’, aimed at supporting 11- to 25-year-olds from low-income backgrounds.
The programme pairs schools and colleges from across Birmingham with leading charities who will provide support with activities such as:
- Attainment in English and Maths
- Essential Skills including leadership, problem solving, debating, project management
- Post school destinations including further education, higher education and apprenticeships
- Employability skills to ensure that young people are prepared for the world of work
- Wellbeing with a particular focus on mental health
Working alongside the WMCA and Birmingham City Council, The Rigby Foundation will provide funding of £1 million per year (for three years).
11 Jul 2025
Finance Futures
Empowering futures through finance: A day of idea sharing, mentorship and career insight at James House.
12 Jun 2025
Inspiring Futures Infographic
Through targeted strategic partnerships between education and charity sectors, the Inspiring Futures Programme has been developed to empower students to succeed in education and beyond.
5 Jun 2025
Theory of Change Model development day with NFER
On 5th June, The Rigby Foundation’s education and charity partners gathered at Aston University’s Conference Centre for a pivotal ‘Theory of Change’ development meeting, led by The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER).
9 May 2025
Strength in Partnership - More School Partnership Visits
The Rigby Foundation visited three West Midlands schools as part of its Inspiring Futures Programme to transform young people’s lives.
1 May 2025
Celebrating Opportunity: The Rigby Foundation at IntoUniversity, Kitts Green
Education is the key to unlocking potential, and IntoUniversity is continuing to support the young people of Birmingham, by expanding its reach to Kitts Green.
14 Mar 2025
The Rigby Foundation Trustees First School Visits
Sir Peter Rigby, Steve Rigby, and Sonia Chhatwal had the privilege of visiting three of our partner schools—St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, Ark St. Albans, and John Henry Newman Catholic College—as part of the Inspiring Futures programme, funded by The Rigby Foundation.
12 Feb 2025
Steve Rigby, Chair of the Rigby Foundation
The Rigby Foundation, has announced a £3 million commitment to support thousands of disadvantaged young people in Birmingham.
7 Feb 2025
Helene Dearne, WMCA - Launch of Inspiring Futures
We are delighted to be working with the WMCA to support the development and delivery of the Inspiring Futures programme. Listen to what Helene Dearn, Director of Employment Skills Health and Communities, thinks about our partnership.
24 Jan 2025
Steve Kay, Birmingham City Council - launch of Inspiring Futures partnership
Inspiring Futures is only as strong as the partnerships we build and we are so pleased to be working with Birmingham City Council to help us in the roll out of the Inspiring Futures programme. Steve Kay, Director of Schools and Employability, shared this with us.
The project is the result of many months of research, meetings with more than 30 potential charity partners, and guidance from Birmingham City Council about the secondary schools facing the most significant challenges.
My family and I hope that our funding of this programme will allow young people from low-income communities in Birmingham to have access to the same opportunities as their wealthier peers, so that they have the chance to do well at school and progress to sustainable and meaningful careers.”
The programme is solely focused on supporting students from low-income families that experience significant deprivation and multiple challenges.
Our education partners are Ark Boulton, Ark St Albans, CORE City Academy, CORE Jewellery Quarter, Grace Academy, John Henry Newman Catholic College, King Edward VI Sheldon Heath Academy, STAR Small Heath Leadership Academy, St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School and South and City College Birmingham.
Inspiring Futures aims to help more than 1,000 pupils per year to achieve goals and aspirations that might otherwise be unreachable. Our partner charities are Action Tutoring, Ahead Partnership, Debate Mate, Envision, Get Further, IntoUniversity, Place2Be, Skills Builder and Zero Gravity.