Futures for All

Futures for All (formerly Speakers for Schools), is a charity set up in 2010 by the journalist Robert Peston,^[1] to provide famous speakers to state schools to inspire young people in their careers. The chairman since 2012 has been Andrew Law, Chairman and CEO of the hedge fund, Caxton Associates.^[2]  Since 2016, the work of the charity has expanded to providing work experience for young people. Futures For All matches schools to hundreds of employers, providing structured, high-quality work experience and handling the paperwork’.^[3]  So far, it has supported 1,850,000 young people, delivering over 10,000 inspirational talks with over 35,000 young people attending work opportunities.^[4]

The charity was set up because Robert Peston, who attended a state school, was disappointed to be asked only to give talks at private schools. Peston explained: ‘It is all about broadening the knowledge and increasing the confidence of state school students — by bringing them into personal contact with highly successful people who urge them to work hard and aim high.’^[3] Among those who have given talks for the charity are Bill Gates, David Cameron, Lily Cole, George Alagiah, Marcus du Sautoy, Charles Dunstone, Jo Elvin and Judy Murray.^[5] In 2023/24, the charity helped speakers deliver 619 school talks, reaching 180,000 young people.^[4] Over the charity's lifetime, its delivered over 10,000 talks in schools, reaching over 1.85 million young people.^[4]

In 2024/25, the charity connected state-school educated young people with 289 employers across Britain to provide them with work experience. It also introduced the Work Experience Finder, the first national online portal matching young people with work experience opportunities.^[4] Andrew Law said: ‘It gives students, particularly those without family connections, a pathway into meaningful careers. Our aim is to level the playing field, to raise opportunities in state education to the same level as private schools. Talent is spread evenly across the country; opportunity isn't. Our job is to fix that.’^[2]

The charity has also advocated for the provision of universal work experience which it estimates would cost taxpayers only £75 million a year.^[6] Their research found that two thirds of young adults cannot recall doing work experience. The Department of Education removed a statutory duty placed on schools to deliver work experience in 2012.^[7] The Labour party committed to providing two weeks of work experience for every pupil in their 2024 manifesto, but have yet to implement plans to deliver this.^[8]

In 2025, the charity changed its name from Speakers for Schools to Futures for All, to reflect the increasing significance of work experience provision within its activities.^[9] Its current chief executive is Nick Brook, previously deputy general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers.^[10]

In 2024, the charity's annual budget was £6.3m;^[11] the majority of the funds were provided by AL Philanthropies, the charitable foundation of its chairman, Andrew Law.^[12]