Charity in push to give state pupils experience at top companies

By SIMON WATKINS, FINANCIAL MAIL ON SUNDAY

Updated: 17:30 EST, 18 January 2014

Connected: Jenny Halpern Prince

A charity aiming to give state school pupils the chance of work experience at Britain’s top firms has set the ambitious target of placing 1,000 sixth-formers in companies by the summer of 2015.

The charity, Access, will be promoted by a reception at No 11 Downing Street on Tuesday being hosted by the Chancellor’s wife, Frances Osborne, and attended by senior business figures including Brent Hoberman,  co-founder of travel website Lastminute.com, and Sir Stuart Rose, chairman of food delivery firm Ocado.

Access was set up by Jenny Halpern Prince – boss of PR firm Halpern and daughter of former Burton chief Sir Ralph Halpern – in February last year to give 16 to 18-year-olds at state schools the same access to work placements that are usually the preserve of the offspring of Britain’s movers and shakers. 

‘A lot of well-connected people can do this for their own children. But most can’t,’ she said.

‘There are no other organisations out there providing access for these kinds of young people.’
Access helped 150 children find work experience last year.