Who we are
Day One is a not for profit community interest company dedicated to helping school leavers from underrepresented backgrounds and low-income families transition successfully from education to employment.
Our supported apprenticeship model tackles barriers to employment by equipping young people with essential skills, guiding them from school to apprenticeships, and providing ongoing practical support.
Crucially, our commitment doesn’t end once an apprenticeship is secured—we continue to offer the support young people need to thrive. We collaborate with schools where free school meal eligibility exceeds the national average and partner with businesses that share our mission.
our team
Emma left a challenging family home at 19, her lived experience informed her early career, where she led and developed two small East London based charities, providing support for women affected by domestic violence and migrant communities.
Specialising in fundraising and developing corporate partnerships, Emma later worked at School Home Support and the Prison Advice and Care Trust. She brings her leadership, organisational development skills and partnership driven approach to Day One.
Dawn is a dynamic professional who excels in driving organisational change, enhancing productivity, and strengthening brand reputation. With a strong background in strategic planning, Dawn is committed to making a lasting impact.
At Day One, Dawn builds partnerships between schools and apprenticeship providers, expanding career pathways for young people from underrepresented backgrounds. She is passionate about fostering equity in education and the workplace.
Aisha is the London Careers & Apprentice Lead at Day One.
Holding a Master’s in Law, Aisha combines academic expertise with a strong commitment to supporting young people in their career journeys.
Having lived experience of educational disadvantage and financial hardship, Aisha is deeply passionate about helping those who face similar challenges. In addition to her work at Day One, Aisha serves as the Diversity Lead for We Speak, an organisation that fosters open dialogue about diversity and inclusion.
Jade is the Greater Manchester Careers & Development Lead at Day One, bringing over five years of experience in youth work and pastoral support. She has worked with award-winning organisations, guiding young people toward meaningful opportunities and personal growth.
As a Local Authority School Governor, Jade possesses extensive expertise in safeguarding and is committed to ensuring the well-being of those she supports.
At Day One, Jade empowers young people to take their next steps—whether through paid work experience, confidence-building, or forging strong partnerships that create new opportunities. She also serves as the organisation's Designated Safeguarding Lead, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for all.
our board
Knighted for his longstanding services to industry, the arts and charity, Sir David is a former director of Pearson plc and former Chair and Chief Executive of the Financial Times. Sir David’s involvement in public life and service spans many years.
He is currently a senior independent director for Cambridge Press & Assessment and he is also Co-Chair of Foundation Future London, a non executive director at Rare Recruitment, The Talent Foundry, Bath Mozartfest, The Stop MS Appeal and Scrum.
Edwin is a seasoned Change Delivery professional with over 30 years’ experience in devising and implementing strategic change, executing business transformations, and providing consulting, programme, and portfolio management services to multinational clients in the financial services industry.
He joined Day One in July 2023 with the aim of leveraging his extensive strategic business experience to improve the career progression of black, female or low-household-income school leavers.
Patrick is an experienced Chartered Secretary with extensive experience in the financial services industry including holding senior roles at Lloyds Bank, NatWest, Barclays and Quilter PLC.
Key areas of experience include corporate governance and control, financial services regulation, communications, project management, corporate transactions including acquisitions, disposals and capital raising and organisation design. Patrick has been a trusted adviser at Board and Executive Committee level for two decades.
our patrons
Nigel Higgins
Chairman - Barclays
Patron
Nic Humphries
Senior Partner and Executive Chair - Hg
Patron
Sebastian Wilson
Head of Delivery for Client Partnerships - Clixels
Contributor - Speaker
our vision
Our vision is a world in which young people’s backgrounds never dictate their career destination.
our mission
Our mission is to improve the career progression of school leavers from low-income households, helping those who face barriers to employment to take their first steps into rewarding and well-paid careers.
The problem
- Young people (16-24) from racialised groups are more likely to be unemployed.
- Schools in deprived areas struggle to provide high quality career advice. When schools achieve Gatsby benchmarks they can see a 20% reduction in students classified at NEET.
- Overall completion rates for all apprenticeships in England are around 54% - the government target is 67%.
- Young people on Free School Meals are 3 times as likely to be unemployed compared to their more advantaged peers.
our theory of change
Our school partners
Trinity Church of England High School
Manchester City Centre
Lilian Baylis School of Technology
Lambeth
New City College BSix
Hackney
Oldham
College
Oldham
our business partners
Joining forces with ambitious organisations to transform our mission into reality
Do you want to know more
If you’d like learn more about how you can support young people:
