We are delighted to be launching our new three-year strategy, Backing Brilliance.
Since it was founded in 2011, The Brilliant Club has supported almost 150,000 young people across the UK to access leading universities, boosting academic attainment and setting young people up to thrive in higher education and beyond.
Today, this mission is more urgent than ever. Being brilliant and working hard is not enough. Where you are born and your family income are still the strongest predictors of the career you will have, how much you will earn and your future health and happiness. Attending a leading university is the most effective way of opening up opportunity, but it is a route too often out of reach.
This is fundamentally unfair to young people and detrimental to society as a whole. Now is the time to start backing brilliance.
Our strategy outlines how we’ll work with students, parents and carers and the education sector over the next three years in pursuit of our vision: a society where every child has a fair chance to unlock their brilliance, regardless of where or how they grow up, and where positions of influence are open to everyone, not just the most advantaged.
In the strategy, you can read about our Ambassador, Sumaiyah, who took part in The Scholars Programme when she was 12 years old. She’s written a letter to her 12-year-old self where she says “University won’t just change your options. It will change you.” We also hear from Arshiya, a parent from our Bradford Parent Power chapter, who says “Parent Power has helped me grow as a person. I feel more confident and involved in my child’s education.”
You can read the strategy here, and you can watch a short animation about our work here.
Our partnerships with schools, universities and funders are vital. If you’re interested in learning more and exploring ways you can back brilliance, get in touch: hello@thebrilliantclub.org