Opening Doors to Brighter Futures

Creating opportunity is about more than opening a classroom door. It is about helping young people see what is possible and giving them the confidence, experiences and connections to pursue it.

That is at the heart of the work of the Naz Legacy Foundation, whose Diversity Days give young people the opportunity to step beyond the familiar and experience universities, employers, cultural institutions and other organisations first-hand.

Following a year of strong results, the COSARAF Charitable Foundation is continuing its partnership with Naz Legacy Foundation in 2026–27, helping ensure more young people can access these transformative experiences.

During 2025–26, Naz Legacy delivered 15 Diversity Days across 16 schools and 11 London boroughs, working with 13 partner organisations spanning higher education, heritage, arts and culture, public service, sport and employment.

The programme was independently evaluated through responses from 481 students and 49 teachers, with the findings demonstrating the value of giving young people access to experiences beyond the classroom. Students reported increased knowledge, greater awareness of future opportunities and, importantly, a stronger sense of what might be possible for their own futures.

The results were particularly encouraging:

• 87.9% of students said their knowledge and understanding had improved.
• 87.3% said they were more informed about careers and opportunities.
• 86.7% found the experience inspiring.
• 75% were encouraged to find out more.
• 72.5% said they were more interested in future pathways.

These figures tell only part of the story. The real value of the programme lies in helping young people encounter people, places and possibilities they may not otherwise have experienced.

Seeing yourself in places you may never have imagined

Naz Legacy’s approach is rooted in the belief that meaningful experiences can change how young people see themselves and their futures. By bringing students into universities, workplaces, cultural institutions and other professional environments, the programme helps make opportunities feel more tangible and achievable.

The Diversity Days also create space for young people to see diverse role models and recognise that they can belong in environments that may previously have felt unfamiliar or out of reach.

For many students, these are first experiences of visiting a university, major employer or national cultural institution. The programme’s breadth is also important. Students have visited and engaged with organisations including St Anne’s College, Oxford; Downing College, Cambridge; Amazon; Wimbledon; Wembley Stadium; the Royal Opera House; the Royal Navy; the Imperial War Museum and Kensington Palace.

That is why it is particularly encouraging to see Naz Legacy developing its partnerships beyond individual Diversity Days. During 2025–26, 13 Year 10 students took part in a week-long Work Experience Week at Kensington Palace, gaining exposure to areas including palace operations, community engagement, conservation, digital engagement, marketing and apprenticeships.

The experience received an overall rating of 4.92 out of 5, with every session rated Good or Excellent by at least 92% of participants. Students developed practical skills including communication, teamwork, organisation, problem-solving, creativity and independence.

For us, this progression from exposure, to aspiration, to opportunity is particularly significant.

The independent evaluation also demonstrates that Diversity Days are not simply enjoyable experiences; they complement formal education and provide teachers with valuable opportunities to extend classroom learning.

98% of teachers said the programme improved pupils’ understanding and enthused them, while 95.9% said the experience was relevant to the curriculum. Teachers also highlighted the value of access to universities, employers and cultural institutions that schools may not otherwise be able to provide independently.

This is closely aligned with COSARAF Charitable Foundation’s commitment to education, opportunity and sustainable pathways to independence. We believe that young people should have the opportunity to understand the choices available to them, develop the confidence to pursue those opportunities and see themselves as capable of achieving their ambitions.

We are therefore pleased to continue our partnership with Naz Legacy Foundation in 2026–27.  For our Foundation, this partnership is about more than funding individual activities. It is about helping create the conditions in which young people can broaden their horizons, raise their aspirations and take meaningful steps towards the futures they want to build.

When a young person walks into a university, workplace or institution for the first time, they are not simply visiting a new place. They are beginning to imagine themselves there.