Building a lasting social value legacy with the Department for Education

At Hippo, we often talk about “designing for people.” But that commitment goes beyond the service itself. To us, delivering digital services for the Department for Education (DfE) means building efficient systems that also create real-world opportunities for the people and communities those services support.

Social value is a core part of how we operate. As we continue our partnership with the DfE, supporting programmes from Funding Services to Children and Families, we have been looking back at the tangible impact our teams have made over the last year.

Creating space for new talent

One of the most rewarding parts of our work is seeing local talent grow. Across our DfE contracts, we have created 60 new roles, with a deliberate focus on local recruitment.

William Hemingway first joined Hippo through our T Level partnership with UTC Leeds. He came in with an interest in software engineering, but after working with our Business Analysis team, he discovered a different route into digital delivery. Through the DfE partnership, he has since started a full Business Analysis Apprenticeship.

For William, that meant moving from a classroom placement into a career path he may not have otherwise discovered. It is a clear example of how social value can create practical routes into digital careers, while supporting the delivery of important public services.

Breaking down barriers to tech

The tech industry can feel difficult to break into, especially for people who have not had early exposure to digital roles or clear routes into the sector. Through our four-week supported work placement with Disability Action Yorkshire and our upcoming partnership with Manchester Digital, we are working to make those routes more visible and more accessible.

Our people have also spent more than 580 hours in the community this year, supporting sessions that help people explore digital careers in a practical way. That includes Intro to Tech workshops with Peckham DAZ, mock interview sessions at Reddish Vale High School, Ada Lovelace Day at Leeds City College and BIMA Digital Day.

Each of these moments helps more people understand what a career in tech can look like and where they might fit within it.

Being present at events such as Ada Lovelace Day at Leeds City College and BIMA Digital Day helps make that connection more visible. It is a chance to show what working in digital can look like in practice, and to help the next generation see a place for themselves within it.

A culture of continuous growth

Our work with the DfE has always had a wider purpose. Alongside the delivery of digital services, it creates opportunities for people to gain experience, build confidence and access routes into digital careers.

Through junior coaching, T Level placements and community partnerships, that work can support the services being delivered today while helping more people see a possible future for themselves in the sector.

There is still more to learn and more to improve, but these are the kinds of opportunities we want to keep supporting through our work.

Why it matters

This work is about more than digital transformation. It is about social transformation.

By investing in junior coaching, opening up pathways for T Level students and building teams that better reflect the people who use these services, the impact extends beyond individual programmes.

It contributes to a more inclusive and resilient digital economy.

There is still more to do. The focus remains on continuing to listen, continuing to support and continuing to build in a way that creates long term value for both users and future talent.