Students from universities across the country spoke with senior leaders, explored different sectors and reflected on the value of bringing young people directly into conversations about education, employment and social mobility. Their experiences demonstrate the importance of networking and how creating spaces where students are listened to as active partners can broaden horizons, strengthen aspirations and help develop the next generation of leaders. 

Personal Group’s series of Purpose Lab sessions explored what young people expect from employers as they prepare to enter the workplace. Across the sessions, students spoke at length about workplace wellbeing, health and protection products, graduate recruitment, benefits technology, life-event support and, most recently, expectations around pay, progression and workplace culture. 

Medefer recently took part in a Purpose Lab session with students from universities and colleges across the UK to explore how young adults view consultant-led, digitally enabled outpatient care as part of the NHS. 

Purpose Lab has not just broadened my knowledge. It has made me more curious about the world beyond my discipline, and for a scientist, that might be the most useful thing of all. 

Through the Purpose Lab’s partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society, students had the opportunity to experience the show first-hand, gaining insight into a sector that is often seen as traditional, specialist or difficult to access.

The Purpose Coalition has launched Purpose Lab Masterclasses, a new series of employer-led masterclasses delivered in partnership with two leading further education colleges, Capital City College (CCC) and Newcastle College Group (NCG).

Being a Student Ambassador with Purpose Coalition has been such an eye-opening experience.

Over the past six months, my experience as an Event marketing Assistant with Purpose Lab has been creatively challenging and personally transformative.

The environment has also played a big role in the experience that I have had. It has always been supportive and open, making it comfortable to share ideas and hear different perspectives.

Across recent Purpose Lab sessions with PGL Beyond, RHS, Personal Group, and Active Care Group, a clear and consistent insight emerged - young people are not disengaged. Instead, they are highly responsive to organisations that demonstrate a genuine understanding of their lived experiences.

My experience as Purpose Lab’s Student Ambassador was precisely that: a crucible of growth, purposeful leadership, and insight.

Purpose drives life, not just scientifically through evolution, but it helps give life meaning.

Our latest Purpose Lab session brought senior members of Sodexo’s Schools & Universities business together with female students at the University of Greenwich’s Medway Campus to explore what it takes to attract, retain and support women across Facilities Management (FM), including engineering, security and operational roles.  

Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) has taken part in a series of engagement opportunities with young people to test their perceptions of the sector and its work. 

Through Purpose Lab Place, I have been encouraged by the work This Is Purpose are leading in this area. Last year we began piloting Constituency Assemblies as a way of bringing structured community insight directly into policy conversations.

Every session of Purpose Lab is always transformative and a masterclass about an organisation that leads with innovation, vision, inclusion, and is purpose-driven.

In our latest Purpose Lab session students were introduced to the social housing sector by Karbon Homes.

As I prepare to finish university, Purpose Lab has played an important role in developing my confidence and transferable skills. It has expanded my understanding of the strategies and programmes being implemented across industries and has contributed meaningfully to both my personal and professional growth. 

In a recent Purpose Lab session, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) explored with students what its mission to be there for everybody on their lifelong adventures with gardening means in practice, and how horticulture can be made more accessible and relevant to a wider audience.  

From day one, Purpose Lab felt different. Instead of treating social, ethical and environmental responsibility as a nice “extra,” it puts them right at the centre of how organisations work.