Looking Back on Three Years at IntoUniversity Hull East

Three years on from launching IntoUniversity Hull East, it has been inspiring to see the difference the centre has made for young people and the wider community.

From the very first Year 6 Primary FOCUS graduation ceremony with Woodland Primary, we were already being welcomed into the community as over 30 guests attended. This has happened time and time again. Alongside Academic Support and guidance on future pathways, we consistently provide pastoral support to our students and families and it is clear that our young people and their adults feel comfortable in our space because they often reach out to us for assistance. The enthusiastic support of students’ parents and carers reflects the trust and strong relationships we have built with our students, families and our partner schools and colleges, who promote and encourage everything we do.

Students on a trip to the Yorkshire Air Museum

Our partner universities, The University of Hull and The University of York, have been instrumental in our success. The programmes and opportunities that our students have taken part in have deepened their knowledge, improved their confidence and encouraged them to think about their goals and ambitions for the future. Being able to visit the campuses, learn from lecturers and talk to student ambassadors has made university seem more real. Increasingly, our students view Higher Education as a realistic option and have become more specific in their choices the more time we have worked with them. 

For example, as students have moved through our programmes, they tell us that they want to study a particular course, choose a specific apprenticeship or move to a different place to achieve their aspirations. Beyond our on-campus visits, the universities have helped our staff to recruit University Student Mentors and Academic Support volunteers. Mentoring is hugely beneficial to our young people, who are supported one-to-one with their academic, social and future goals. This programme also supports university students to gain valuable volunteering experience and give back to their local community. One of our volunteers, Marguerite, was recently shortlisted for an inclusivity award with Time2Volunteer for their impact on our students.

Students on an Extending Horizons trip to Leeds

Experiences outside the classroom are hugely important. Visits to local places such as Craven Park to learn about Hull KR rugby league team, sitting in WWII planes at the Yorkshire Air Museum, and pottery painting sessions have brought learning  to life and made it memorable and enjoyable. In 2025 we went on a residential trip to The University of Leeds where some of our students stayed in university accommodation and made friends with students from our Manchester North and Salford Central centres.  For some students it was their first time away from home, first time bowling or their first cinema trip. As well as making new friends and broadening their horizons, the students learned independence through taking public transport and staying in their own rooms.

One of my favourite stories of my time at IntoUniversity Hull East began at our centre launch. After speaking to a student’s grandma for a while, I persuaded her to sign up her other granddaughter for a 1-day holiday programme before committing to coming every week. Since then, these sisters have been regular attendees to our programmes and have flourished. We recently received the exciting news that they have been offered scholarships through IntoUniversity’s partnership with the Royal National Children’s SpringBoard Foundation’s Boarding School Bursary Programme to start boarding school later this year. For me, this story captures what our centre is all about: creating opportunities that can genuinely change the direction of a young person’s future. 

None of this would be possible without the support of our funders and partners. As we look ahead to the next three years, I’m excited to see even more young people discover new opportunities, build confidence, and achieve ambitions they may never have thought possible.