IntoUniversity: inspiring and supporting future generations

Education has the power to create a more inclusive society, so since 2023, we've been supporting young people at IntoUniversity. Coming from less-resourced backgrounds, we support them in developing skills, exploring career opportunities and building confidence in their futures.

The programmes we support introduce young people to corporate environments and practical business challenges, helping them develop key skills for the future.

Why it matters

Too many young people in UK society feel certain corporate careers are out of their reach; we are helping to change that by:

• Breaking down barriers to professional environments.
• Providing hands-on learning experiences and insights.
• Empowering students to take control, feel positive about their future and achieve their full potential.

Through mentoring, workshops and real-world business challenges, we want our work together to increase awareness and understanding of higher education and employment opportunities.

Our impact

• Over 800 students directly supported through volunteering, mentoring and workshops.
• We have worked together across 24 IntoUniversity centres, located in 13 towns and cities.

• 92of students reported increased university knowledge and soft skills
• 85of students reported improvements in key soft skills, including leadership, communication, and teamwork.
• 78of students sais they were more likely to achieve their career goals or pursue university after attending.

How we support IntoUniversity

Business & career workshops

Our Forvis Mazars volunteers support with engaging, hands-on sessions where students develop leadership, teamwork and communication skills.

Sessions to date:

• 16 business simulations, held within our UK offices.
• 17 career workshops, delivered by our team members.

Mentoring

We have a growing network of Forvis Mazars mentors who provide career advice to young people. Our team members provide one-to-one mentoring for students preparing for university, apprenticeships or the workplace across six IntoUniversity centres. They can also help with personalised CVs, application and interview guidance. 

Hackathon

We launched a unique two-day hackathon-style challenge, designed for students aged 16-18. This was to encourage students to address real-world issues affecting our planet and communities. Over the course of two days, students tackled these sustainability challenges, developing solutions and collaborating closely with our Forvis Mazars volunteers.

• 75of students reported an improved understanding and confidence in their innovative abilities.
• 80of students indicated a better grasp of sustainability concepts and their applications.

What participants say

Young people

"This programme has inspired me to listen more and think about my future."  IntoUniversity Nottingham student, Careers in FOCUS workshop

"The best part of the programme was the workshop at Forvis Mazars because it gave me the opportunity to work in a professional setting."  IntoUniversity Coventry student

"The highlight has definitely been creating our PowerPoint and being able to present it in front of a panel of experts. It was extremely fun being able to express my thoughts and display our hard work."  Hackathon participant

"I believe this hackathon has set me up with skills and practices that I can implement in the future to help make the planning part of new projects smooth and efficient."   Hackathon participant

Forvis Mazars & IntoUniversity

"We believe in the transformational power of education to shape more inclusive societies that can thrive in an ever-changing world, and we are immensely proud to be helping young people achieve their aspirations as they strive to reach their full potential."  Phil Verity, Former CEO, Forvis Mazars in the UK

"We're really grateful to Forvis Mazars in the UK for their ongoing support, which has a direct and positive impact on the young people we work with. This corporate partnership is so important to us as an organisation."   Dr Rachel Carr OBE, CEO, IntoUniversity