Inspiring the Future volunteers can share their insights with all year groups, from Year 7 to Post 16, in school or virtually. This page provides suggestions about what works well with different year groups from schools across the country. Remember, it’s teacher-led so you can tailor any of the below activities to fit your students’ needs and interests. The best activities need a six to eight week lead time to invite volunteers successfully.
Year 7: At this age it is good to expose students to a wide range of careers possible so they can narrow down their interests as they go through school. Activities can include:
- Career Speed Networking
- What’s My Line assemblies to guess volunteer jobs
- Assembly or classroom talks
Year 8: Continue broadening horizons and challenging stereotypes through activities such as:
- Career talks from volunteers
- Career Speed Networking
- Apprenticeship volunteer talks to introduce this pathway
Year 9: Volunteer insight sessions can help with inspiration and option choices via activities like:
- Careers Fairs
- GCSE options choices
- Volunteer talks at option or parents evenings
- Career talks and workshops in the classroom
Year 10: Help to motivate and prepare students for exams and work experience via:
- Mock Interview and CV workshop sessions
- Employablility skills workshops
- Pathway and Sector insight talks
- Speed networking to continue broadening horizons
Year 11: Activities at this age can help with motivation and destination choices post 16. Examples include:
- Careers Fairs
- Sector focused insight talks
- Pathway focused insight talks from volunteers who did apprenticeships, started their own business or went to HE.
Post 16: Bring in volunteers and employers to help prepare students for next steps as well as motivating for exams. Ideas include:
- Application and interview workshops
- Sector insight talks
- Workplace visits
- Job shadowing
Remember, you can plan a wide range of activities to take place virtually. Find out how.