Since 2019, The Mercers’ Company Transitions Special Initiative has worked to support young people in making successful post-secondary transitions. Partnering with 15 organisations across London, this initiative has provided careers-focused support to help young people develop skills, expand their aspirations, and navigate their next steps in education and employment.

This latest report, prepared by The Centre for Education and Youth (CfEY), evaluates the impact of the initiative’s third cohort of organisations funded including  Blueprint for All, Envision, In2ScienceUK, Making the Leap, Power2, Street League  and XLP.   It explores key successes, challenges, and lessons learned from delivering tailored support to young people particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds.

The findings highlight the power of targeted interventions in building young people’s confidence, awareness of career pathways, and connections to the world of work. They also offer insights into how education and youth organisations can refine their approaches to better serve future generations.

Read the full report to learn more about the impact of the Transitions Special Initiative part of the Mercers’ Company’s Young People & Education Programme and the key takeaways for supporting young people’s futures.

Key Takeaways

• High Satisfaction – Over 80% of young people, educators, and employers reported positive experiences.
• Skills Development – Participants gained valuable soft skills, workplace skills, and confidence.
• Stronger Pathway Awareness – Young people developed a clearer understanding of education, training, and career routes.
• Meaningful Transitions – Many participants progressed into further education, training, or employment.
• Challenges & Refinements – The report highlights ongoing barriers such as recruitment difficulties, stakeholder communication, and programme scalability, with recommendations for improvement.

Read the report here. 

As trustee of the Charity of Sir Richard Whittington and the Mercers’ Charitable Foundation, our Transitions Special initiative forms part of our commitment to supporting young people’s futures. 

Read more about our Young People & Education Programme here: Young People & Education Programme.