Ablaze – how firms can get involved

 

Ablaze is an independent Bristol-based charity that works with businesses, schools and volunteers to help young people develop the skills, confidence and aspirations they need to succeed. We focus on creating meaningful, in-person opportunities that connect children and young people with professionals from a wide range of industries.

Our programmes are classified as ‘corporate volunteering’ so we don’t work with individual volunteers and each business we work with we match them with a programme that suits their availability and interests and support their local community.

Our core programmes include:

Career Mentoring
1-day or 6-session programme for a group of 5 – 6 volunteers, ideally held at their work place. To support a group of 10-15 young people aged 13-15 years old from a local secondary school, helping them build confidence, develop key employability skills and gain insight into future career pathways. Full training, planning and support provided.

Reading Partners
Weekly/fortnightly volunteering at a local school for 30 mins at a time. Volunteers support primary school pupils aged 7 – 11years old on a 1:1 basis who are below expected reading levels for reading. The programme helps improve literacy, confidence and enjoyment of reading, while providing positive adult role models. No experience needed – full training and all resources (books) provided.

Career Insight Days
We work with employers to deliver workplace visits, career talks, skills sessions and industry insight events, helping young people understand the breadth of opportunities available to them and the pathways into different professions.

Books for All
Our newer family literacy initiative supporting children with English as an Additional Language and their families through shared reading activities and access to books they can take home and keep, helping to build confidence with reading both in and outside the classroom.

Many of the young people we support come from disadvantaged backgrounds or communities with lower levels of social mobility, and our aim is to ensure they have access to the networks, experiences and opportunities that can help them thrive.

We would love to explore ways Bristol Law Society members could get involved, whether through mentoring, reading support, workplace visits, skills sessions or wider partnership opportunities.

Ablaze  would be delighted to have a conversation with anyone interested about any opportunities to work together.  For more info see the attached PDF Ablaze programmes 2026