A new £690,000 partnership between The Hg Foundation, a grant-giving charity focused on improving tech education and skills, and CodeYourFuture, a non-profit providing free technical training, will support refugees, asylum seekers, displaced migrants and low-income groups to train for and secure jobs in Tech, by expanding their communities to three new cities across the UK. 

Research, including The Hg Foundation’s ‘Digital Skills Divided’, shows two key challenges facing the UK tech talent market. First, the UK is lacking necessary tech skills to fill vacancies in the job market. Second, low-income and disadvantaged groups are less likely to have access to Tech skills training. CodeYourFuture addresses both of these challenges by providing low-income and underserved groups with access to advanced tech skills and support to secure jobs in the sector. 

Founded in 2016, CodeYourFuture currently operates in four cities across the UK. What makes their model unique is its grounding in the community, with industry volunteers in local areas facilitating and providing free courses in Digital Literacy, Introduction to Programming, and Software Development. These courses equip participants with the technical and employability skills to embark on new career paths. To date, over 800 Trainees have taken part in their most advanced programme – the Software Development Course. The majority of graduates start full-time tech roles within 12 months and 90% of them are still in permanent tech employment 3 years later. 

With The Hg Foundation’s grant of £690,000 over the next 3 years, CodeYourFuture will be expanding their operations to three new cities across the UK. The Hg Foundation is fully seed-funding the set up and launch of pilots in these new cities and by 2027, the pilots will have reached 1,000+ new individuals. The key marker of the programme’s success will be the number of individuals securing higher-wage employment. Part of the grant will also contribute funding and support with data and impact measurement, and scoping out an independent evaluation. The Hg Foundation is also committed to opening new doors to potential hiring employers for CYF, growing a network of mission-aligned partners.

Germán Bencci, Founder & CEO of CodeYourFuture, said:

“CodeYourFuture empowers refugees, asylum seekers, and low-income individuals to reshape their futures through free tech education. Thanks to the support of The Hg Foundation, we'll expand our diverse community of professionals, turning lived experiences into powerful tools for social change and economic opportunity. 

We’re excited by the potential for companies within the Hg portfolio to join our mission in growing access to high-quality tech jobs, and the guidance colleagues in the Hg Foundation network can offer to our organisation with their experience with growing companies.”

Giulia Poletti De Chaurand, a Senior Associate at Hg who leads on the partnership, said:

“I am proud that The Hg Foundation provides us with the opportunity to assist remarkable organizations like CodeYourFuture. What impresses me about this organization, beyond their evident mission to help disadvantaged individuals gain access to the technology industry, is their attention to overcoming specific, often overlooked barriers. This includes public transport reimbursement to ensure everyone can attend training, assistance in procuring necessary materials, and childcare support to promote equal opportunities. This mission resonates deeply with The Hg Foundation's values, and we eagerly anticipate witnessing the program's growth and success as it expands to new locations.”

About The Hg Foundation:

The Hg Foundation’s vision is that the tech workforce of the future harnesses the talents of all, regardless of background.  It does this by supporting education and employment-based programmes across the UK, USA and Europe where it can demonstrate measurable, long-term and scalable impact and make a difference to those that need it most.  To date it has committed $29m to programmes that will reach over 50,000 young people and adults from under-represented backgrounds. The Foundation’s work is solely funded by Hg – a leading investor in European and transatlantic software and services businesses. The Hg Foundation is registered Charity no. 1189216. 

Find out more at https://www.thehgfoundation.com/

About CodeYourFuture:

CodeYourFuture (CYF) is a non-profit tech organisation that reduces social inequality by training people from underserved communities in tech and soft skills, supporting them to start careers in tech. 

CYF is committed to lowering the barriers for people who otherwise couldn’t afford to attend a vocational tech training programme. 

CYF alumni work at companies like Slack, Google, Capgemini, JP Morgan, Financial Times, BBC, Centrica and Deloitte. Hiring companies have reported an attrition rate 5.5 times lower than their average when hiring from CYF. 

Find out more at https://codeyourfuture.io/.