3. Bedford College Supports Bedford Giving by Hosting First ‘Mentoring Meetup’

In January, Bedford College hosted the first Mentoring Meetup of 2025 in support of the Bedford Giving initiative, a community-led partnership charity ‘working to create a brighter future for young people in Bedford’.

The event brought mentors together to share experiences, advice, and successes from the new mentoring programme, which pairs local professionals with Year 9 and 10 students from across Bedford.

This new mentoring programme is part of Bedford Giving, a collaboration of passionate businesses, charities, and organisations including one of its founding members, The Harpur Trust. With over 450 years of service to the town, The Harpur Trust has long been committed to improving the lives of Bedford residents through community investment (such as grants) and educational support.

Through consultation with young people, families, educators, and employers, Bedford Giving identified two major barriers faced by students in Bedford:

• A need for personalised, one-to-one support to help them set and reach aspirational goals.
• A lack of real-world work experience and exposure to opportunities outside their immediate environments.

In response, Bedford Giving launched the career mentoring scheme which is designed to:

• Raise aspirations and expand horizons
• Introduce students to the world of work
• Improve employability
• Set realistic education or career goals
• Break down barriers to achievement

The programme is delivered alongside multiple partners, including Bedford College, and recruits early-career professionals from Bedford’s business community to act as mentors.

As the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, the Group  is well positioned to work closely with local schools, offering clear pathways for students to progress into further education. Partnerships such as Bedford Giving strengthen the Group’s engagement with schools and help more young people make informed decisions about their future careers through continued education and skills development.

To find out more about Bedford Giving, visit Home – Bedford Giving.