Why should you support the 250 Challenge?
As IntoUniversity prepares to support its 250,000th student, we want to make sure we can help the next 250,000 overcome the growing challenges facing disadvantaged communities.
In 2025, IntoUniversity will support its 250,000th student. While we are proud of this milestone and the impact that we have had over the past few decades, we recognise that there are still many young people in the UK who need our support.
This is why we are inviting our supporters to take on a fundraising challenge themed around the number ‘250’, helping us to raise crucial funds. But why, out of all the fantastic causes you could support, should you fundraise for IntoUniversity?
The scale of the problem
There are 4.3 million children in the UK living in poverty today (JRF, 2025).
Data shows the continued impact of the cost of living crisis on families. Schools in disadvantaged areas are often under-resourced, with limited access to extracurricular support, educational information, or necessary resources. Homes are frequently overcrowded and not conducive to effective study or revision.
In 2024, only 47% of students eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths by the age of 11 (Beynon, 2024). This educational inequality persists as students progress through their education. Since 2019, efforts to close the attainment gap between disadvantaged students and their wealthier peers have stalled – and, in some cases, the gap has begun to widen (EPI, 2024).
Understandably, in the areas facing disadvantage where our centres are based, fewer students achieve the grades needed to progress to university, high-quality apprenticeships or professional careers. As a result, many families remain caught in a cycle where the disadvantages of one generation are passed onto the next.
Their loss is our loss; poor social mobility outcomes represent a huge potential loss of talent for businesses and wider society at a time when the economy is facing a skills shortage. We believe it is essential that our society is able to address the issues around social mobility and effectively tap into the immense talent pool which exists in some of the areas facing the greatest disadvantage in the UK.
Support in the heart of communities
Education plays a transformative role in reducing poverty and breaking cycles of disadvantage (UNESCO, 2017). Research has shown that individuals with a higher education qualification go on to earn significantly higher wages, with FSM students earning around 50% more than their peers without qualifications (Britton et al., 2020; Khan, 2024; Social Mobility Commission, 2024).
At IntoUniversity, we are uniquely positioned to address this issue.
Our local centres are based in the very communities we aim to serve. In these centres, young people and their families receive tailored support, guidance, and exposure to both local and national opportunities — enabling them to make informed decisions about their futures.
A local approach has been shown to be highly effective in supporting young people at risk of disengaging from education (Local Government Association, 2013). Identifying disadvantage at a granular level is essential for understanding local challenges and delivering targeted support (Suss, 2023). Before opening a new learning centre, we conduct robust feasibility research into the area, using datasets on deprivation and higher education participation to identify local needs.
By embedding our learning centres in areas of widespread disadvantage, we provide not only safe and resource-rich spaces for study, but also aspirational guidance tailored to the specific context of each young person. Through university visits, career workshops, and partnerships with local businesses, we make higher education and professional pathways feel tangible – countering the perception that such opportunities are “not for people like us”.
During my time at IntoUniversity, I’ve seen the impact this approach has had on students’ aspirations. Students like Aneesah, a former IntoUniversity student in Leeds, who now studies Social Work at the University of Leeds. She said:
“IntoUniversity helped me to expand my knowledge at a young age and enabled me to consider the educational opportunities available and my future ahead. The staff supported us through sharing their experience of university with enthusiasm and answering our limitless questions. It was extremely interesting to hear about student life at university and the perseverance students require to reach success.”
IntoUniversity’s community-based model breaks down barriers to education for young people across the UK. By supporting our ‘250’ Challenge, you can help open doors to brighter futures. Every pound raised empowers a young person to believe in their potential and take the next step towards a life full of opportunity.