This is the first of three blog posts spotlighting our place-based Collaboration Partnerships with Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs) in South Yorkshire, the West Midlands and Liverpool City Region.
In each region, we are working with MSAs to bring FEA members, local organisations, young people and families together to create more connected and equitable education, employment and skills systems. The partnerships are central to our Neighbourhood to National strategy, using local insight to influence change at a national level.
In this blog, Amy Calvert, Programme Manager at First Give, reflects on the first meeting of the South Yorkshire Success in Education, Employment and Training Community of Practice. This new network brings together local organisations working to improve opportunities for young people to build connections and share learning.
Growing up, I was taught that it doesn't matter where you're from, it matters where you're going. I still find that idea powerful, though it's not reflective of reality.
Young people from low-income households are twice as likely to be not in education, employment or training (NEET), according to FEA's 2026 Report Card, and in South Yorkshire, Department for Education figures show NEET rates among 16–17-year-olds above the national average.
Inequalities don't suddenly emerge when a child turns 16, and nor should our efforts to address them. On average, a child from a low-income household is already 10 months behind other pupils by the end of primary school. This gap increases to nearly two years behind by GCSE.
The first meeting of the South Yorkshire Community of Practice took place in September. It brought together public, private and third sector organisations, united by a commitment to improving young people's opportunities through place-based collaboration and systems change.
What I particularly value about this group is the recognition that no single organisation holds the answer. We each bring different expertise and opportunities, and when we bring them together, meaningful change can happen.
Crucially, young people must be at the heart of that process.
Attendees at the South Yorkshire Community of Practice event
At First Give, we see the difference this makes every day. Our vision is of a more generous society, and we work with young people to unlock their potential as philanthropic citizens. Our programmes create opportunities for young people to develop the knowledge and skills they need to lead meaningful change through social action.
Last year, almost 40,000 young people took part nationally, with around 10% based in Yorkshire. We connected young people with 90 Yorkshire charities, and over £28,000 was donated to charities across the region.
Through social action, young people aren't simply learning about their communities; they're actively shaping them. They build pride in where they're from, while recognising their power to make it better. Their ideas become tangible contributions with impact, and young people develop confidence, agency, belonging, and an understanding that their voices matter.
That same commitment to youth-centred design is something we're seeing through the Community of Practice. We have an opportunity to connect organisations and services more effectively, and support young people to become decision-makers in their future opportunities. We must listen, understand what matters to them, and ensure their voices influence what happens next.
Where you come from should be a source of identity and belonging, not a boundary on your aspirations and life outcomes. A more equitable education system, and ultimately a more generous society, starts when we recognise young people not just for the futures we hope they'll have, but for the contributions they can make today.
Amy Calvert
Programme Manager
First Give
Our Collaboration Partnership with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority is developing early, intensive, wraparound support in secondary schools in two neighbourhoods where need is greatest, so young people can access the joined-up support they need to build successful careers. Co-designed with local young people and drawing on local employers, third sector organisations and local authorities, these pilots will test what works and share learning across South Yorkshire and beyond. This links closely to our Jobs for Tomorrow Collaboration.
The timing matters: the number of NEET young people passed 1 million earlier this year, and the independent Milburn Review into youth inactivity is due to publish its final recommendations this month.
Find out more about our place-based work on our website or by emailing place@faireducation.org.uk.