EY Foundation
EY Foundation
What we do
More than 1 in 5 young people in the UK are eligible for free school meals. That’s over two million young people.
Young people from low-income backgrounds are three times more likely to be unemployed by the age of 27. This negatively impacts their chance of future success, their wellbeing, their local community, and wider society. That’s why the EY Foundation exists – to help level the playing field so that all young people have the same opportunities to succeed.
An independent charity, we bring young people and employers together to deliver high-quality employability skills training, paid work experience, and mentoring. Our programmes build aspiration, confidence, and a greater sense of purpose.
We operate in regions across the country, enabling young people from a low-income background to access the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to help them thrive in the workplace.
It’s not just the young people who benefit – by collaborating closely with employers, our professional, insight-based approach directly benefits them too. By working with local talent, employers can build a more diverse workforce and increase staff engagement.
Our delivery focused approach generates insights to influence the actions of business and government, helping ensure all young people from a low-income background can succeed in the workplace.
Our priorities
Drawing on our areas of expertise, we have identified four areas of focus to support young people directly and help achieve systemic change.