A discursive workshop looking at the challenges young people face in an increasingly consumer-led, marketing-heavy university sector. How do we support potential applicants to make informed decisions around their future education choices, when does this support start and what is the best way of providing independent guidance for the individual? Brightside will provide case studies and showcase tools which explore how structured mentoring supported by reliable sources can equip learners with the skills to make positive choices based on understanding a quality education experience as well as how to deal with student finance.
Brightside is a charity that believes it should be talent, not background that determines the education opportunities and careers that are available to young people. We help young people access the education and career pathways they might not have believed were available to them by providing online mentoring – structured and supported online contact between a young person and trained mentor who provides personalised information and support in making important decisions about education and careers. We currently work on online mentoring schemes with over 70 partner organisations including other charities, Russell Group universities and corporates like Allen & Overy and BT. We also provide free online resources for any young person seeking impartial information about education and career options at www.brightknowledge.org and www.studentcalculator.org