About us
In this section
We are a national education charity, formed from the merger of The Brightside Trust and The UNIAID Foundation.
Our vision is of a society where all individuals are inspired and empowered to achieve their potential through education and employment.
Deciding what path to take can be daunting at any age, but for many young people in particular, the future doesn’t always feel bright and they don't have anyone to discuss their ambitions or concerns with. They face confusing options, complex financial decisions and ever stronger competition for university places and jobs:
- Is university the right option?
- If so, then which course and what will it cost?
- And if not then what other options are there?
- What about careers?
- What’s it like to leave home?
We all need accessible information and encouragement to enable us explore our options.
Our mission is to help inspire, guide and support individuals to make informed choices by providing:
- Ementoring – connecting individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds with an online mentor who can help them develop skills, gain confidence and explore their further and higher education and employment options
- Teaching resources – supporting schools and universities to deliver engaging workshops about student finance, higher education and money management
- Online tools – interactive games and resources about higher education, careers and money for all young people
Who we help
Most of our work focuses on supporting 14-25 year olds. We believe that all young people should have access to independent and impartial information, so our online tools and teaching resources are available to all.
While a lot of young people have access to well-informed advice and encouragement from friends, family or school teachers, there are still too many who don’t. We seek to fill this gap, by developing practical projects such as ementoring, which provide individuals with a mentor who can help them explore and plan their futures.
We define disadvantage socially, culturally and economically, so that it includes young people who are eligible for free school meals or the Education Maintenance Allowance, those with no family history of higher education, or whose schools have little experience of sending students to further or higher education. We also tailor our programmes to support specific groups including Children in care, student parents, young offenders, disabled young people, and those not in Education, Employment or Training (NEETs).
How we work
Our approach is flexible and consultative. We listen and respond quickly to the changing needs of our beneficiaries and partners.
We enjoy working collaboratively, with a range of partners.
Our approach, and the work we deliver, is shaped by our values;
- Passionate
- Engaging
- Empowering
- Creative
- Inspiring
- Supportive
The Future is Bright
We know that young people want accessible, impartial information, particularly about education, money and careers. We need to continue to innovate and develop new solutions that respond to their changing needs and concerns.
We believe that online support has the potential to make a real difference to people’s lives. The web provides innovative new ways to engage, inspire and inform young people, reaching those who don’t have the support networks they need. We aim to be the leading national provider of Information, Advice and Guidance-focused ementoring, inspiring and empowering people to overcome social disadvantage across the UK. We want to continue to build new partnerships and expand our work to ensure that our activities benefit more people.
We are proud of what we have achieved to date but there is so much more we could do. We would love you to get involved.