A Kilburn school and Kensal Green charity are celebrating a 15-year partnership that has supported thousands of students to develop key skills to succeed in the world of work.
In 2011 social mobility charity Making The Leap began working with Mr Abdel Ydri, to help St Augustine’s with its commitment to prepare students for the world of work. Little did Mr Ydri, fondly known as ‘Mr Opportunity’ by former students, know, that 15 years later thousands of students will have taken part in Making The Leap initiatives.
Believe to Achieve, one such initiative, gives students direct exposure to employers and professional environments that can often feel out of reach for young people from underrepresented backgrounds.
Students from the current Year 12 Business Studies class recently took part in an exciting Dragons’ Den-style challenge, where they worked in teams to develop and pitch their own app ideas. Presenting to a panel of ‘Dragons’ from PA Consulting, the global innovation and transformation consultancy, students shared their concepts, explained the problems their apps would solve and responded to questions from the judges. The challenge gave students the opportunity to develop their creativity, teamwork and presentation skills while gaining first-hand experience of pitching ideas in a professional environment.
Mr Ydri says: “I am very pleased with the outcome of our long-standing partnership with Making the Leap. For many years, our students have benefited from the excellent work‑skills opportunities they provide, including the Enterprise Challenge, mock interviews, business visits, and career events.
“We have always found Making the Leap team to be approachable, supportive, and fully aligned with our vision. We share a commitment to ensuring that our students are job‑ready when they leave education, and Making the Leap continues to play a vital role in helping us achieve this goal.”
Despite national progress around social mobility, the need for local action is growing. Young people from privileged backgrounds remain significantly more likely to secure professional jobs than their less advantaged peers — a gap that has widened from 15% in 2016 to 23% in 2025.
Kate Penny, Senior Educational Partnerships Manager at Making The Leap says: “We are delighted that students at St Augustine’s CE High School are continuing to benefit from Making The Leap’s Believe to Achieve Programme, which helps them build vital skills and helps them see the wide range of opportunities open to them as they prepare for the world of work.
“We are incredibly proud to have partnered with St Augustine’s CE High School and work alongside Mr Ydri for the past 15 years. Together, we have supported hundreds of students to broaden their horizons, connect with employers and take positive steps towards successful futures.”
Making The Leap’s Believe to Achieve Programme, supported by The PA Foundation, delivers targeted intervention activities designed to equip and empower Sixth Form students as they prepare for the world of work. The programme provides young people with practical experiences such as insight visits, entrepreneurial challenges and mock interviews, helping them build confidence and gain a clearer understanding of the opportunities available to them with a focus on careers in STEM.
“We are proud to support the Believe to Achieve Programme, and to see first-hand the talent, energy and creative thinking of the students, which is always inspiring to our volunteers. By giving young people the opportunity to connect with professionals and practise real-world skills, we hope to empower the next generation to realise their potential, whatever their background,” says Jack McMahon, Head of The PA Foundation.
Since 1993, Making The Leap has supported almost 80,000 young people to take their first steps into the workplace. With a proven 70% employment outcome rate, Making The Leap is helping young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds build confidence, develop skills and access meaningful career opportunities.
