Welcome to our new website. We hope you like it, and look forward to receiving any feedback you might have.
 
I am delighted to have been appointed Chief Executive of the Social Mobility Foundation. The current economic conditions make it even more important that we give young people from disadvantaged backgrounds the knowledge and confidence they need to enter and succeed in the top professions and, with your assistance, I believe we can take significant strides towards making this a reality for more and more young people. 
 
By way of background, I am currently the Director of Future, a charity which supports organisations making a real difference to young people’s lives and which is the sponsor of Pimlico Academy, which opened in September. I was previously Coordinator of the Oxford Access Scheme (OAS), which ran a range of one day and residential programmes to encourage pupils from inner city schools to consider higher education and the University of Oxford. The OAS worked with approximately 7000 pupils a year during my time there, the vast majority of whom were from the same background as those targeted by the SMF.
 
Having provided 200 internships last year, we have received nearly 500 applications this year, which shows that we are becoming increasingly successful at reaching the young people we target. Of course, we still have a lot more work to do, and if you know any individual or organisation that might be able to offer us assistance – whether financial or with internship placements or e-mentoring – please let me know.
 
I have already heard a great deal about the wonderful support the SMF has received from people such as yourself and I look forward to working closely with you to develop the vital work of the SMF.
 
Best wishes,
 
David Johnston
 
david.johnston@socialmobility.org.uk