At Hippo, we want to use our digital expertise to empower young people and create pathways to meaningful work. That belief is at the heart of our partnership with RISE Up, a charity dedicated to tackling youth unemployment.

RISE Up is a charity that helps young people facing tough challenges find work. They are committed to fixing the systemic issues that prevent young individuals from accessing opportunities, rather than simply addressing individual challenges. You can find out more  about the impactful work being undertaken by Rise Up on its website.

As part of our ongoing commitment to RISE Up, Hippo proudly hosted our second Pathways2Digital programme, this time in Leeds. Over three impactful days, nine young people aged 16-24 embarked on a journey of growth, participating in workshops focused on CV and interview skills, an introduction to Agile principles, engaging in speed networking with industry experts, and gaining financial literacy through a Santander-led session, alongside a visit to the Leeds Digital Careers Fair.

These programmes are crafted to empower young individuals, building their confidence and self-belief to navigate and succeed in the digital sector, directly addressing the 13.8% unemployment rate for 16-24 year olds in the UK as of July 2025. We are incredibly grateful to all our volunteers and to RISE UP for their outstanding partnership in making this vital difference.

We also recently hosted another “Pathways to Digital” three-day event in Leeds, marking RISE Up’s expansion into this new area. This coincided with the Leeds Digital Festival and Leeds Digital Careers Fair. With more impactful initiatives on the horizon, we remain committed to unlocking potential and shaping the future talent within the digital sector.

The “Building Aspirations: Pathways into Digital Tech” Programme

At the heart of our collaboration with RISE Up is the “Building Aspirations: Pathways into Digital Tech” programme. This initiative truly embodies our shared commitment to empowering young people and addressing the challenges they face in accessing digital career opportunities. Together, Hippo and RISE Up have co-designed and delivered this experience, providing a vital bridge between aspiring young talent and the digital tech sector.

Our most recent programme in Manchester saw 11 participants, with 10 from BAME backgrounds, gain beneficial exposure to the digital tech landscape. This initiative is carefully crafted to:

Elevate Quality of Life through Digital Inclusion: Our partnership is equipping participants with useful skills and newfound confidence whilst opening pathways to life-changing career opportunities. The programme directly addresses the urgent challenge of young individuals at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) through providing exposure to the digital tech sector. Ra’eesah Nagdee, a participant who even featured on BBC Radio 4, shared: “I loved this programme so much – my perspective on a lot of things has changed in a really positive way. I’m feeling much more optimistic about my future.”

Drive Lasting Community and Social Change: The programme is making a real difference with participants consistently reporting increased confidence. Elijadavids Owusu, a participant at the Manchester programme said: ‘It gave great insight into the IT world and taught us how to present ourselves clearly and confidently.’ As RISE Up CEO Roman Dibden puts it, ‘It’s not about fixing young people. It’s about fixing the systems that shut them out. We’re here to unlock access, not just ambition.’

Hippo’s multidimensional support for RISE Up

Our commitment to RISE Up extends to a diverse range of support, focusing significantly on leveraging Hippo’s core tech, digital capabilities and our team’s commitment to social responsibility:

  • Practical digital skills development: Our team members are directly involved in programme delivery. Adam Ellis from Hippo’s talent team has led engaging CV Building & Interview Skills workshops, specifically tailored for the digital tech sector. Adam Friday, a Hippo delivery manager, has also delivered in-depth, hands-on Agile workshops, explaining key project management and teamwork principles for aspiring digital professionals.
  • Real-world industry insights: Amelia Collins-Patel and Simon Hirst from Hippo lent their experience to panel discussions, openly sharing their career journeys and offering practical encouragement. A lively speed networking event allows young people to explore 17 different tech roles within Hippo and with clients like Santander and DfE, applying their newfound skills in direct interaction with seasoned professionals.
  • Enabling resources and fundraising:  Our team’s commitment to this partnership is also demonstrated in the RISE Day walk, where a group of Hippos trekked 30km up Mount Snowdon, raising almost £2,000. More recently, during the “Building Aspirations” programme, we donated a new laptop to the most engaged participant, providing a helpful building block for their ongoing digital journey. In June 2025, our team also raised an additional £2,682 during the Edale Skyline Challenge, directly funding a new apprentice position at RISE Up, who joined the organisation back in August.

Looking forward: Our shared vision

Hippo’s collaboration with RISE Up is actively bridging the gap between young talent and digital career opportunities. This vital work addresses pressing social and economic challenges across our communities and paves the way for a more diverse and inclusive digital industry.

Roman Dibden, CEO of RISE Up, said: “Our partnership with Hippo has been transformational, not just for the charity, but for the young people we serve. At RISE Up, we believe access is everything, and Hippo’s team have gone above and beyond to open doors that were previously closed. From co-designing our Building Aspirations Digital Tech programme to showing up with empathy, time and tech insights, they’ve helped us bridge the gap between young people and the digital world. This is much more than just corporate social responsibility, It’s a values-driven collaboration that’s genuinely changing lives and I’m incredibly grateful for it!”

This ongoing partnership between Hippo and RISE Up exemplifies a commitment to social change, and we are excited for the future work we will continue to do together, transforming lives and building a more inclusive digital industry.