Mark Fawcett, LinkedIn

The Prime Minister has announced his intention to make it compulsory for students in England to study mathematics until the age of 18. He has said that higher maths attainment will grow the economy and create better paid jobs and opportunities. But what are the benefits, the challenges, and the potential solutions in achieving this?

 First, why do this? What are the benefits?

 In a more data-driven digital world, improving numeracy can clearly benefit each person individually. It opens up more work opportunities and lessens the risk of being left behind. There was even a very similar pledge in the Labour 2015 manifesto so this is not a new idea.

 Many other countries like Germany, Japan, France and the USA take some form of maths-to-18 approach. And the PM argues that it will benefit the whole nation through an improved economy.

 We know it’s good for the person and good for the economy – so what’s the problem? I’ve spent my life working with young people in various guises, particularly in relation to their academic experiences, personal development and transition from education to career, so this issue really struck a chord with me and I was naturally keen to dig a bit deeper. 

 What are the challenges here?

 Well, there are quite a few actually. Let’s just explore a few of them:

 1.     Defining the route

 The PM described needing to “reimagine our approach to numeracy”. This is key – it’s not about everyone taking A-Level Maths. He said “we’ll need to make sure this maths is additional to other subjects – not instead of them. But we are taking the first step today by identifying the maths content that will give our 16-to-18-year olds the skills they need to get on in life.”

So, they’ll need to be looking at a range of routes including core maths qualifications, T-Levels, embedding numeracy in other subjects and hopefully more innovative technology-based options.

Continued exposure to skills-based or life-based maths could be in the form of personal finance as opposed to pure maths. Which will mean, our kids can also know how to get a mortgage, or a business loan. Or avoid bad debt. Maths that is relevant to be real life will be far more engaging for those students who ‘don’t do maths’.

Those implementing this will need to explore both qualification and non-examined methods to build numeracy. Then more young people can develop the advanced maths skills to drive their careers, and others can build the most basic skills to better get by.

 2.    Teachers

 Currently about one in eight maths lessons (12%) are taught by someone without a maths degree and almost half of all secondary schools are having to use non-specialist teachers for maths. The Government has failed to meet its own recruitment targets for trainee maths teachers every year for more than a decade, despite the target being cut.

 And even if we step up recruitment, almost 1-in-6 teachers in England leave the profession after just one year.

 If younger students have below-par maths teaching, with a strong focus on exam passing, then it alienates rather than engages millions of them. Which brings me onto …

 3.    Pre-16 maths performance

 National results for maths GCSE are generally not good, and the compulsory resits are also pretty woeful, so surely it makes far more sense to invest in maths education before Key Stage 4 rather than after it? Or at least have the maths-to-18 strategy include earlier age maths as well.

 The Government’s figures show that about 60% of disadvantaged pupils do not have basic maths skills at age 16. Around 175,000 young people fail their GCSE maths each year. So, would it make more sense to get the foundations right, before putting a new building on top? And possibly a better use of education investment too.

So, what are the solutions?

Clearly, we need the professionals in place to do the work, however the approach is tackled. Whether that is in classroom-based group maths teaching, 1-2-1 tutoring or a focus on financial literacy. A one-size-fits-all approach won’t work, but you can’t do anything without the teachers. And given the current picture of education strikes, I’ll mark that thorny issue as ‘unsolved’ and suggest three things to consider:

1.     Explore digital badging for numeracy skills. Allow 16+ students to pick up a range of maths skills and demonstrate their competence. Not just through A-Levels and other traditional routes but by picking up badges in ‘Personal Debt’, ‘Business Budgeting’ and ‘Data Management’ along the way. All supported through a mix of direct teaching and online learning.

2.    Embed numeracy skills and learning in all subjects. Every subject has within in the chance for pupils to learn maths – these opportunities just need to be clearly drawn out by teachers who have been shown how. Contextualize the learning in real-life situations.

3.    Get the foundations right with a connected approach across all age groups. Don’t just bolt a 16-18 strategy on the top and expect it to work.

What can we learn from others?

 Learn from, but don’t copy Singapore. They lead the world in maths education with strategies that include mastery of fewer topics rather than racing through a packed curriculum, visualisation using real life objects, games and problem-solving all delivered through a layered curriculum that builds skills gradually over time. Students learn maths till 18, but they build on a strong foundation for success. It’s not a short-term win.

 The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation last year announced $1.1bn in Maths education in the United States. They state that: “One of the most powerful levers for young people to … take charge of their own futures is success in math. Math equips students with the critical thinking and problem-solving skills to be engaged citizens and to attain high-paying, in-demand jobs.” At the heart of this is developments in maths teaching systems, protocols, materials and teacher training at all levels and ages.

 And the bigger picture?

 If you accept (please!) that the solution comes from improvements at all ages, then why not be brave and bold enough to say that now is the time that our entire education approach in England needs review and reform. An out-dated curriculum has had decades of additional initiatives and areas of focus bolted on and is no longer fit-for-purpose for our young people, our future work needs and our economy.

 Let’s look at those needs over the next 50 years and build a new education approach that meets our needs. As the PM said himself: “We have to fundamentally change our education system so it gives our young people the knowledge and skills they need – and that our businesses need – to compete with the best in the world.” Let’s do it; do it all and do it properly. Not just maths.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/rishi-sunak-wants-everyone-study-maths-18-does-add-up-mark-fawcett/?trackingId=YH47SlQQSwiTKZ%2FnEIJCgg%3D%3D

Company Spotlight in Creativepool

We Are Futures is a brand and social impact agency, which specialises in the youth markets of tomorrow. They analyse how young people think, react, talk and behave, and help businesses connect with young people and their families.

This week, we spoke to We Are Futures CEO & Chairman, Mark Fawcett. Mark started off his career in the Army training soldiers, then moved to World Challenge to run expeditions before becoming MD, and finally founded National Schools Partnership, which in the last few years has rebranded into We Are Futures. The company is about creating engaging activity through smart creative, activations, partnerships and more. 

Mark has always had a fascination with youth culture and now helps brands connect with that audience in an authentic, impactful way, to create the customers of tomorrow. The thing is, brands want to help, but they need guidance on how. It’s next level purpose marketing and we’re about to learn a lot more about it from Mark himself.

How was your company born and where are you based?

I’ve worked with young people throughout my career, starting out as an Officer in the Army where I was involved in training new recruits and going on to run the youth expedition organisation World Challenge, so understanding how young people tick is something I’m hugely interested and, dare I say it, very experienced in.

We Are Futures was borne from an observation – I had spent a few years visiting schools and working with young people with World Challenge, mainly in the UK and also the USA, and had seen how different companies, brands and charities were communicating and interacting with that generation. I could see how important that connection was but could also see how much better much of it could be.

We created a vision to better connect businesses and brands with young people with multiple benefits, be it social impact, future talent or simply to make a positive engagement with the mass market of tomorrow.

That was almost 20 years ago and today we work with 30 major businesses – from Sky, Unilever and Samsung to Natwest, Warburtons and L’Oreal – to help them create meaningful connections with young people through programmes, education initiatives and experience opportunities. We now have teams based all over, with our main offices in London and Edinburgh.

What was the biggest challenge to the growth of your company?

Initially our biggest challenge was to show clients why and how things could be done differently. They couldn’t easily put us into the boxes of Creative, PR, Media Channel or Sponsorship agency as we’re all of those – and more.

We had to demonstrate how they could have both a Social Impact and a Brand Impact at the same time in a Win:Win for them and for young people. And, not having ever worked in an agency before, I had to learn all the basics from Day 1.

Which was the first huge success that you can remember?

Winning the opportunity to work with Morrisons to help launch their ‘Let’s Grow’ campaign in 2007 was a big step. We collaborated with a range of other agencies and the campaign had a very high profile, winning numerous awards.

It helped build our reputation in the early years and is something we remain immensely proud of more than 15 years later.

What’s the biggest opportunity for you and your company in the next year?

The merging of consumer and employer brands means that younger audiences are making decisions about whether they want to buy from you or work for you in the same breath. Coupled with a growing skills crisis in the UK, businesses are increasingly realising the importance of young people to them, both as brand makers, and as brand destroyers.

This has added another significant dimension to our offering. Because we are uniquely placed to help brands understand and better engage with this new generation, we are a very effective addition to their strategic planning and creative execution. And with the importance of real Purpose within a brand’s activities and communications, we can drive an increasingly important ROI.

Can you explain your team’s strategy / process? What makes it unique?

Our approach joins together a business’s brand and social impact aims along with the needs and ambitions of young people. So our processes must find and then create that perfect meeting point.

We articulate this as Consult – Create – Impact. This takes us from deep Insight work and strong Strategic Planning through to the big Creative Ideas and then into on-the-ground Delivery. All underpinned by a deep understanding of how young people develop, engage, and respond with the world around them.

Into this we bring our unique networks: our National Schools Partnership of over 100,000 teachers, our Young Leaders Network of creatives and inspirations, our Partnership Network of over 130 youth specialist organisations and our newer Family Network.

Today’s teenagers are tomorrow’s shoppers, employees, leaders, parents and activists. Businesses who have an eye on the long game and make concerted efforts to speak to that generation now, creating memorable interactions and establishing trust, respect and positive connections, will be the brands that those people automatically turn to when they hold the control, as decision makers, budget holders and more.

The combination of all our individual expertise and vast network resource makes us unique, with an unrivalled insight into tomorrow’s consumers.

How does your team remain inspired and motivated?

You’d be better asking them! But I think there are two main factors – the work and the people. The projects are always different, so we get to work on a variety of campaigns that challenge our thinking and our creativity. We are delivering digital, experiential and communications-led activations so we stretch ourselves and our clients.

It’s never dull. And we have the added benefit of knowing that every campaign, whatever the size, is having a positive impact on a young person – sometimes small, sometimes life-changing. That puts an extra spring in your step.

And then the work, and the success of the agency, brings us in touch with some brilliant and inspiring people. When I think now of the talent and energy within the agency, I’m in awe of the teams I work with and the passion they have for what we do, and how we do it.

How has COVID-19 affected your company?

In the end, it’s made us stronger in many ways. Not that it wasn’t a scary and emotional situation at the start of 2020 – it was, both in taking care of our colleagues and in making plans for the business.

People really stepped forward, they took personal responsibility and came up with brilliant ideas. As one example, a small team repurposed most of our teacher-facing education content to make it accessible for parents doing home-schooling during lockdown. These resources were rapidly downloaded over 500,000 times – all free of charge.

Post-pandemic it matters more than ever that businesses and brands show they have a purpose beyond just products and profit. And that’s the space we play in, so it’s good to see the market is moving our way and, more importantly, we’re ready.

Which agencies do you gain inspiration from? Do you have any heroes in the industry?

I wasn’t an agency person before setting up We Are Futures, so I don’t have any heroes in that sense. We have worked in collaboration with a wide range of creative, media and PR agencies and I think I have always learnt something from each of them. David Pattison (co-founder of PHD) was a great help in our early days.

We also have people join us from other agencies and they always bring some of that experience and training with them, so that helps to continually improve and develop our skills.  So, a big shout out ‘thank you’ to all those agencies – I just couldn’t name the people within them.

What is one tip that you would give to other agencies looking to grow?

‘Your story is your soul’ – develop it, tell it, be true to it. The practical differences between agencies can often be fine lines, but a Story is limitless.

How do you go about finding new clients/business? (Pitching, work with retainers, etc.)

By never, ever stopping. By being relentless in starting new conversations and creating new relationships. Our type of work is different to that of any other company, and we can’t be put as easily in an ‘agency-type box’ so we must work doubly hard to ensure clients understand what benefits and impacts we can bring to them. But once they get it, they see it with such clarity.

And by building a reputation, driving a strong and positive level of awareness of the work we do and why we do it. Of course, we pitch for work when that is the right thing to do, but we focus on conversations and relationships first – some of our clients came onboard 5-6 years after we first met them.

What’s your one big hope for the future of the industry?

That it continues to do more to use its strengths for good, not just good business. You really can have them both.

Do you have any websites, books or resources that you would recommend?

Dan Kirby’s Honey I Blew Up The Business is a great listen that never fails to teach me something. Dan interviews entrepreneurs about the reality of that life – it’s very real, not just bullshit! I aim to absorb insights and insider tips from smart people doing interesting things at any opportunity so there are limitless opportunities to be inspired with this pod.

https://creativepool.com/magazine/inspiration/the-agency-of-tomorrow-focusing-on-the-youth-of-today–companyspotlight.28721

We’ve been crowned Agency of the Year at the UK Sponsorship Awards for the second year running!!

The UK Sponsorship Awards recognises effectiveness and excellence and said:

“Many congratulations on your success at the 2023 edition of the UK Sponsorship Awards.  Competition was extremely fierce so everyone in the team deserves to be congratulated.“ 

So how did we win Agency of the Year for a second year running?

The judges agreed that our work really matters, as evidenced by the impact of our brilliant programmes

Our unique win / win approach which delivers impacts for both brands and young people

Our brilliant forward-thinking clients

And our awesome, expert, skilled and passionate team

A massive well done to our team and our clients

Media Shotz

Alex Young, Managing Director, We Are Futures

Inflation, interest rate rises and soaring energy prices have all been doing their bit to eat away at consumer confidence lately, and now a recession may be on the horizon.

Brands will also be trying to figure out how to best navigate their way through the uncertainty that may lie ahead.

But as Alex Young, Managing Director at We Are Futures, explains, the secret will be in doing, not saying…

We’ve have been living under the threat of an official recession for months, but with the cost-of-living crisis continuing to take its toll the word recession is all but semantics.

Times are tough, margins are being squeezed, spare income is falling and concessions are having to be made on where money is spent.

So where does that leave brands?

We’re all very familiar by now with the advice to advertise through a recession, a message backed up by decades of statistical research, so a complete shut down and radio silence is a big no.

But, by the same token, it is as bad to stick blindly to a business-as-usual approach with no change in content output or messaging.

Rather, try changing tack completely, and see how you make an actual positive difference in people’s lives at a time when they need it the most.

Instead of offering twee advice, or rolling out platitudes to show your brand is on the side of the struggling consumer, why not up your game and offer something more tangible? Switch from saying to doing.

What do I mean by that?

Be helpful

Look at how you can actively support young people, families and communities.

By rolling out services and genuinely helpful advice will not only keep your brand front of mind, but will reposition your brand in people’s minds as one that stepped up to help when times were tough.

Those actions will be far more powerful than standard advertising as they provide clear discernible benefits to current and prospective customers.

Helping members of the public with information that will have a positive impact on their lives – explaining complex financial issues or showing how they can save energy and lower their household bills are all a strong alternative narrative for businesses – even those not obviously connected to finance or energy.

By adding value that is not necessarily focused on shifting product, marketeers can reposition the role of their business in consumers’ lives and in doing so create an important emotional connection.

Be compassionate

Put yourself in the shoes of the end-customer and take a moment to stop being a marketer concerned with sales figures and the bottom line and instead be a person.

Understanding the needs of the public and striking the right tone with your communication will be what sets you apart from less considerate competitors and, ultimately, will have that positive impact on your sales figures.

It may not happen tomorrow or next month but when the economy is back to full strength it will be your brand that people feel a connection with and loyalty towards.

Be self-aware

Meanwhile, remember to look inward and not lose focus on what is happening on your own doorstep.

There are few quicker ways to achieve negative PR than to financially reward your staff at a time when the wider world is struggling to make ends meet.

Paying big bonuses or shareholder windfalls are as bad as excessive and extravagant spending such as away days and staff parties being reported on social media.

Think how you feel every time a company reports yet another record breaking annual profit right after they’ve sent you a bill that’s increased by something like 100%.

That’s the feeling you want to avoid.

Be authentic

The public wants to feel like we are all in this together, so will naturally support a company whose ideals match theirs. This is especially true of younger consumers – those who you want to get on side now ready for a lifetime of loyalty.

They are keen to get behind organisations who share – and crucially live – their values, proving they go beneath the surface and top-level, sales driven marketing.

Recession – or the threat of recession – brings fear and uncertainty so the goal here should be not to think ‘how can I get customers to spend’, but to put yourself in the customer’s shoes, and implicitly understand their needs in a time of crisis.

Brand communication should never just be about ads. People want help, guidance and advice when the situation calls for it.

There’s no magic solution, but redirecting budget to personal touch-points and actions that will make more of a tangible impact is key.

The value will show itself, but it’s the agency’s job to show their client that success may not show itself simply in the usual form of clicks and conversions but in driving connection through something deeper, kinder and altogether more long term.

Why doing, not saying is key to successful recession marketing

Neil Wilkins Podcast

Neil Wilkins talks to We Are Futures founder, Mark Fawcett, about the importance of listening to and understanding 16-24 year olds when creating strategy, marketing and a direction for the future.

In this enlightening conversation, Mark guides our thinking and shares what we can do to really benefit from a deep understanding of the emerging generation of influencers, leaders and decision makers.

For more content like this visit Neil Wilkins Online

We Are Futures