Four aspiring professionals with lived experience of the care system have taken their first steps into the world of work after enrolling on a mentoring programme run by UK and Ireland law firm Browne Jacobson in partnership with Nottingham City Council. 

The Next Chapter pilot initiative set out to equip care-experienced university students with confidence, knowledge and skills as they make decisions about their future, and step into rewarding and successful careers.

The participants, Arash Haideri, Esek Abreha, Fatima Kijera and Zahra Ashraf – all second-year Nottingham Trent University students in subjects including law, computer science, and health and social care – have received monthly one-to-one mentoring sessions with Browne Jacobson professionals, a two-week paid work placement at one of the firm’s offices in Nottingham, Birmingham or Manchester, life skills including financial management guidance, and application and interview support. 

During the six-month programme, they also attended training workshops on topics including personal branding, confidence, commercial awareness, CV and LinkedIn development, and took part in networking opportunities to enhance communications skills.

A celebration event took place at Browne Jacobson’s Nottingham office on Thursday 16 July to mark the culmination of the pilot, attended by Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Councillor Cheryl Barnard. 

Victoria Howard, Senior Social Mobility Inclusion Manager at Browne Jacobson, said: “Running our Next Chapter pilot has been one of the highlights of my career. It’s been such a pleasure to work with these four wonderful young people, as well as colleagues at Browne Jacobson and Nottingham City Council who have put so much time, energy and heart into giving our mentees the best experience possible. I have every confidence that Arash, Esek, Fatima and Zahra will go on to do great things in their lives and careers. 

“Care-experienced young people often face unique challenges entering professional careers, including limited professional networks, financial pressures requiring paid work during studies, and fewer opportunities to access unpaid internships and work experience that build crucial career connections.

“As a firm that wants to help tackle society’s biggest issues, we’re proud to have taken small steps forward in addressing these structural hurdles by collaboratively designing a programme with the mentees, listening to their needs and taking action to do things differently. Our ambition is to learn from this pilot and roll it out wider across our firm and with other employers.”

Research from Action for Children, published to coincide with the government-commissioned Milburn Report into rising youth unemployment and economic inactivity, found that care-experienced young people are disproportionately disadvantaged compared to the general population in finding and sustaining jobs. 

It cited challenges including practical barriers, such as public transport, devices, work-appropriate clothing and ID to provide work eligibility; poor mental health; and a lack of soft skills including adaptability, problem-solving, communication and time management. 

Next Chapter has been designed to address these challenges by providing role models, real-world work experience and structured training, which has been tailored to each individual’s needs and personal aspirations across the various roles available in the legal sector. 

Browne Jacobson worked with suppliers and partners to deliver workshops, including TypeCoach, Ambr AI, Legora, Macildowie Recruitment, Peter Watson, Wolfpack and Second Chance Learning Academy.

Comprehensive financial support was provided throughout the programme. This included upfront payments, travel expenses, paid work experience, and a completion package featuring a payment plus laptop or equivalent training contribution.

Among the cohort of mentees was Zahra Ashraf. She said: “Even though people often think I come across confident, I struggle with anxiety and self-pressure at times, so being part of a supportive programme in Next Chapter has genuinely helped me grow, and to feel more reassured in myself and my future career goals. It has also allowed me to build connections and learn from people whose experiences I really value.

“Programmes like this are so important because they give young people opportunities, exposure, and support that can genuinely change the direction of someone’s future. My message to other organisations would be to keep creating spaces where young people feel supported and included, because sometimes all someone needs is the opportunity and encouragement to believe they belong there. To other care leavers or young people in similar situations, I’d say don’t underestimate yourself or your potential, even if your journey has not been easy.”

Arash Haidari, arrived in the UK in 2020 unable to speak much English and was placed into foster care. He is now a law student at Nottingham Trent University 

He added: “I’m incredibly grateful to have learned from an incredible mentor, who has helped me consider how to have a successful career while being myself and ask better questions. This hasn’t just been something to put on my CV – it’s showed me that there’s a place for people like me in the legal profession. 

“Opportunities like this can genuinely change a person’s direction in life. Sometimes all a young person needs is someone to open a door and show them what is possible. I’m very grateful for the time, encouragement and kindness I’ve received from the people at Browne Jacobson and Nottingham City Council.”

Participants were identified by Nottingham City Council having been through the local authority social care system. 

Councillor Neghat Khan, Leader of Nottingham City Council, said: “We are very proud to have partnered with Browne Jacobson on this pioneering social mobility programme for care-experienced young people, which we believe has provided a fantastic opportunity to create a sense of belonging and set these individuals up for success in their lives and careers. 

“We know from experience that young people face disadvantages in the labour market and these challenges are compounded for those who have been in the local authority care system. 

“We’re thrilled with the success of the Next Chapter pilot programme, which has featured innovative approaches to start addressing these barriers. We hope this sets the foundations for rolling this out further to more care-experienced young people in Nottingham and beyond.”

Next Chapter builds on Browne Jacobson’s award-winning social mobility initiatives that have resulted in the firm topping the Social Mobility Foundation's Employer Index in four of the past five years and being the highest ranked law firm in the Index for five years running.

The firm's FAIRE (Fairer Access into Real Experience) programme has engaged more than 88,000 young people with virtual and in-person events and work experience programmes since launching in 2019. A training programme on accent bias, developed with the University of Nottingham, has been highlighted as a model of good practice in a United Nations report on workplace social mobility.

Last year, it launched a Social Mobility Incubator series, bringing together more than 270 professionals from 100-plus organisations for knowledge sharing sessions, while Browne Jacobson leaders gave evidence on social mobility to both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.