by First Give
First Give Launches Route to a Million Campaign with Inspiring Panel Event
Bringing together young people, partners and educators to mark the start of our most ambitious campaign yet.
On Tuesday evening, First Give officially launched its Route to a Million campaign – a mission to reach one million young people by 2034. Supporters, partners, school staff and the full First Give team came together for an evening of connection, conversation, and a powerful celebration of youth philanthropy.
(Left) Students discussed the programme’s impact with guests and members of the First Give team. (Right) Panelists shared their experiences of the programme.
A central moment of the event was a preview of new independent evaluation findings from Dr Ali Body, produced with Global Action Plan. The research offers compelling evidence of the programme’s impact: First Give helps young people build confidence, develop a sense of purpose, and gain the belief that they can shape positive change in their communities. Dr Body emphasised that First Give “cultivates durable philanthropic citizenship among young people,” helping them develop a strong civic identity and become active contributors to society.
First Give cultivates durable philanthropic citizenship among young people
Dr Ali Body
These findings came to life through a live panel Q&A, featuring students from The Compton School and Chace Community School, alongside Dr Body, Headteacher Tanya Douglas, and KS3 Leader Ben Curley. The students shared reflective, thoughtful insights about their experience of First Give and what participating in social action meant to them. Their contributions were among the most memorable moments of the evening.
Sir Trevor Pears discussing the impact of the First Give Programme with students
Guests also had the opportunity to hear directly from key supporters of First Give’s work. Representatives from the Pears Foundation, Lower Green Foundation, Jack Petchey Foundation, Buffini Chao Foundation, Westminster Foundation and The Funding Network joined us on the night, demonstrating the deep commitment across the sector to supporting young people.
The First Give team
The First Give team attended in full, celebrating the beginning of this ambitious next chapter. Over the next three years, the Route to a Million campaign aims to raise £1.5 million to significantly scale our programme across England and Wales, ensuring many more young people can benefit from the experiences and opportunities that First Give provides.
The full evaluation from Dr Body and Global Action Plan will be released soon — watch this space.
To find out more or get involved, visit our Route to a Million campaign page