Social Mobility Day 2026
It's Social Mobility Day and this year's theme is Stories Matter.
What do stories mean to us?
Stories shape how we see the world and our place in it. The stories we grow up with help us imagine what’s possible, influence the choices we make, and shape who we believe we can become. Stories make opportunity visible, and that’s why they matter for social mobility. When young people experience stories of people like them gaining qualifications, going to university, or progressing into careers, those pathways become clearer and attainable.
This sits at the heart of the ‘possible selves’ theory that underpins our work at Villiers Park.
Possible selves are the versions of ourselves we can picture in the future. For too many young people from under‑represented backgrounds, those imagined futures are limited by the stories available to them.
Our programmes widen horizons and expand what feels possible, helping young people build a richer “library” of stories that inform, inspire and empower. These stories help shape a clearer picture of who young people might become, and strengthen their confidence in the pathways that can take them there.
Through the Future Leaders Programme, we match each young person with an expert coach who provides targeted one‑to‑one support over two years. Together, they explore goals, strengths and future pathways, building the confidence and clarity that turn possible selves into real futures.
We see this not only in our evaluation data – after two years, 80% of Future Leaders feel certain or very certain about their future pathways, an increase of 51% percentage points – but in the stories that young people tell us.
Villiers Park alum and Trustee Benita Udegbe credits her time on Villiers Park’s Scholars programme with helping her to cement her ambition to study law. Today, she is a Crown Prosecutor and a passionate advocate for equal opportunity.
We are proud to be supporting young people from under-represented backgrounds to believe in their potential and their future.
