Registered charity No. 1201227
We work with displaced young people, mentoring and inspiring them towards their educational and career pursuits, improving social mobility and creating new opportunities to bridge the future for all.
133
Students supported since 2018
20+
Countries of origin
£0
Cost to every student
Supporting young people towards brighter futures
Displaced young people arrive in the UK with ambition and ability — and meet a system that rarely has a route ready for them. The evidence is stark.
of young people with the lowest family income achieve a ‘good pass’ in their GCSEs
Compared with 75% of students from the highest-income households.
of young people receiving free school meals enter higher education
Compared with 43% of their peers who are not in receipt of free school meals.
is the target for placing unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in education
In 2018, not a single region in the UK met the 20-day target for finding school places for the unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in their care.
of refugees had access to higher education in 2021
Up from 1% in 2019, but still below the 15by30 target of 15% enrolment of refugee learners in higher education by 2030.
Our mission
To provide English and STEM training programmes for young people from refugee, forced migrant and asylum seeking backgrounds.
To present new opportunities to the young people we work with and encourage them in their educational and career pursuits.
Create personal growth opportunities through STEM education in the long term.
Supporting young people towards brighter futures
See how our mentoring and education programmes are helping young people overcome barriers and build brighter futures.
Young people from low-income backgrounds achieve good GCSE passes
Compared to 75% of those from the highest-income households
Young people eligible for free school meals progress to higher education
Compared to 43% of their peers
Refugee young people accessing higher education (2021)
Still below the 15% target by 2030, despite progress since 2019
Our programmes
An intensive fortnight opens the door. A year of weekly mentoring keeps it open. Both are free, both are volunteer-led.
Since 2018Our free STEM summer school at UCL supports young refugees, asylum seekers, and forced migrants with tailored English lessons and hands-on science workshops, building language skills and confidence in STEM.
Since 2021Bridging the Future’s Online Mentoring Programme supports young refugees and forcibly displaced people with tailored STEM, IT and English help. Volunteer mentors work on homework, skills and progression to higher education, in weekly sessions from October to March.
BTF Summer School
Applications for our free Summer School at University College London (UCL) close at 5 pm, Wednesday 15th July 2026.
Apply to our programmeAt a glance
For students aged 16–22 from refugee, asylum-seeking, and forced-migrant backgrounds.
Science, technology and English workshops.
Travel (TfL Zones 1–6), food and materials provided.
Questions? contact@bridgingthefuture.org
Our impact
Hands-on STEM education — Through teaching, experiments and workshops.
Over £50,000 raised — To deliver summer schools for young people.
133 students supported — Through our programmes since 2018 (excluding COVID years 2020–21).
10× demand in 2025 — 315 applications for 30 places.
Personalised 1-to-1 mentoring — Across STEM subjects.
32 students supported — Since 2022.
250+ hours of mentoring delivered — By volunteers.
Volunteer-led support model — Pairing students with mentors based on subject needs and goals.
Helen Keller
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
Volunteer with us
Whether you’re an undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD student, postdoctoral researcher, or an educator in STEM or language teaching, there is a place for you at Bridging the Future.
Our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do — delivering summer schools and one-to-one mentoring that supports young refugees, asylum seekers, and forced migrants. By sharing your time and expertise, you help build confidence, develop skills, and open pathways to education for those who need it most.
Become a volunteerWhere our students come from
Since 2018 our summer school has welcomed students from more than twenty countries.
Ranked by number of students, 23 in total
105105
Participants
2424
Summer school days
5454
Volunteers
41,700£41,700
Funds raised
Working together
Support our work
Every place is free at the point of use — travel, lunch and learning materials included. In 2025 we received 315 applications for 30 places. Your gift helps us close that gap.
