The Student Room is an online community for thousands of students & young people – no matter your background or your aspirations.
Welcome to the
Future Me Hub!
This website has been designed to help provide useful advice for leaving school on topics across jobs, finance, housing, mental health, further and higher education and your rights.
Our leaver’s booklet and our
custom chatbot will be useful resources for you as you plan your next steps after school.
Remember, you can use these resources with your mentor at your weekly meetings!
Explore helpful resources
Leaving School
Prospects – Gap Year
Prospects is a UK service guiding individuals on education, career choices, and future opportunities. They provide resources on jobs, work experience, internships, higher education, and gap year options.
All About School Leavers
“All About School Leavers” helps students explore post-school options like apprenticeships, university, and gap years, offering advice and resources for making informed career choices.
Apprenticeships
The UK Government provides information on apprenticeship opportunities in the UK, offering guidance for both employers and potential apprentices. It includes details on how to find, apply for, and manage apprenticeships, as well as the benefits of apprenticeships for career development.
The Uni Guide
The Uni Guide offers detailed information about universities in the UK, including rankings, courses, student reviews, and guidance on applying to university. It helps prospective students make informed decisions about where to study based on their preferences and academic goals.
Leaving School
Information on when you can leave school and what you have to do until you turn 18 years of age
Mental Health
Samaritans
Samaritans are a unique charity dedicated to reducing feelings of isolation and disconnection that can lead to suicide. Samaritans run a 24 hour helpline, aimed to provide listening and support to people who are going through difficult periods.
NHS – Mental Health
The NHS provides extensive mental health resources, covering various conditions, emotions, life guidance, support services, and self-help methods.
Shout
“Shout” is a free, confidential text messaging service for people in crisis in the UK. It offers mental health support 24/7, helping individuals who are feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or in need of someone to talk to. Users can text the word “SHOUT” to connect with trained volunteers who provide support through text conversations.
With Youth
With Youth is a UK charity dedicated to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people. They offer services like counselling, group activities, and resources to help young people cope with life’s challenges. The charity aims to create a positive and supportive environment, helping young people build resilience and confidence.
Young Minds
YoungMinds is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to young people’s mental health. They provide advice, resources, and support to help you understand and manage your feelings, ensuring you’re never alone with your mental health.
Mind
Mind is a leading mental health charity in England and Wales, established in 1946. They offer information, advice, and support to anyone experiencing mental health problems, aiming to ensure that everyone gets the help they need. Mind also campaigns to improve services, raise awareness, and promote understanding of mental health issues.
Housing
Shelter – Housing Advice
Shelter provides housing advice on a range of topics such as homelessness, private renting, evictions, tenancy deposits, repairs, and benefits. It provides guidance on securing council housing, dealing with landlords, and handling financial challenges related to housing. Resources include step-by-step guides, legal advice, and support contacts to help individuals resolve housing issues.
Mind
Mind guides on housing issues tied to mental health, aiding with homelessness, unsafe living conditions, and obtaining support from local resources. Tailored help for students, LGBTQIA+ individuals, and crisis support with short-term accommodations and self-care is available.
Centrepoint
Centrepoint focuses on supporting homeless young people aged 16-25. They offer accommodation, support services, and training to help young people rebuild their lives, gain independence, and secure employment or education. The charity also advocates for better housing and support policies for young people facing homelessness.
Money Saving Expert
The Money Saving Expert’s resource on Housing and Energy Grants provides a guide to various UK grants and schemes that help households with energy costs and home improvements.
Amazon – Starter Packs
Amazon UK offers student starter packs with essentials for university life, including kitchen sets, bedding, and study supplies. These packs help make moving easier by providing everything you need in one go. Options range from cookware to stationery kits to suit different needs.
Council Housing
This resource provides information on how to apply for council housing in England.
Finance
Turn2Us
Turn2Us provides guidance on coping with the cost of living crisis, including tips on maximising income, budgeting, debt advice, and resources for essential needs such as food and energy. Specialised schemes for energy efficiency, health costs, and disability support are also emphasised.
Money Saving Expert
Money Saving Expert provides advice and tools to help people save money, manage debt, and make informed financial decisions. It covers areas such as banking & savings, managing bills, credit cards & loans and budgeting.
Student Space
Student Space provides tips on securing more funding for university students, including budgeting, applying for scholarships, bursaries, hardship funds, and exploring additional finance sources like grants for disabilities or care-giving.
The King’s Trust
At The King’s Trust, we empower disadvantaged youth to overcome challenges, build skills for success, and thrive despite their backgrounds.
Money Helper
MoneyHelper is a UK government-backed service providing free, impartial advice on money, pensions, and debt. It offers guidance on budgeting, savings, retirement planning, and access to trusted support services, plus useful tools and calculators.
Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice provides support for those struggling with the cost of living, offering guidance on benefit entitlements, debt management, council assistance, and help with essential costs like rent, bills, and food. They recommend checking what support you qualify for and reaching out to creditors or local councils if needed.
My Rights
Shelter – Support for Care Leavers
Shelter offers advice for young people leaving care, focusing on housing and financial support. They offer information on what help is available, including accommodation options, financial assistance like grants and benefits, and the rights of young people leaving care.
Holiday Entitlement
The UK Government provides information on holiday entitlement, holiday pay, and accrual for workers. Most workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks’ paid holiday a year. You can use the holiday calculator to work out how much leave someone should get.
Citizens Advice – Sick Pay
Citizens Advice offers advice on a range of topics. This area of their website provides information on Statutory Sick Pay such as eligibility, payment, exceptions, and how to claim sick pay.
National Minimum Wage & Living Wage
The UK Government’s website provides information on the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage. This includes the minimum age to receive the rates, how much minimum and living wage are per age group, and who’s entitled to the wages.
What is a Pension?
Money Helper provides information on the basics of a pension, including what a pension is, the different types of pensions, understanding your own pension, and why you should save into a pension.
Sick Pay
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is a UK benefit paid to eligible employees who are off work due to illness. It offers £116.75 per week for up to 28 weeks. To qualify, employees must earn at least £123 per week, be off work for more than 3 days, and have an employer. SSP is paid like regular wages, with tax and National Insurance deductions. Some employers may offer additional sick pay through occupational schemes.
Employment
Job Help
Job Help is a UK Government website designed to support job seekers. It provides practical advice on finding and applying for jobs, resources for improving skills and creating CVs, and insights into industries that are actively hiring.
Reed – Interview Techniques
Reed provides guidance on preparing for and succeeding in job interviews. They offer resources covering the key aspects of the interview process, including how to research a company, answer common and challenging questions, and make a strong first impression.
ACAS
ACAS in the UK gives impartial advice on workplace rights, employment law, and conflict resolution to employers and employees, covering topics like pay, contracts, redundancy, disputes, and employee relations.
Hertfordshire Skills Framework
The Hertfordshire Skills Framework highlights key employability skills valued by employers in Hertfordshire, focusing on both personal and technical abilities. It provides resources to help young people assess and develop these skills, improving their work readiness for CVs, interviews, and job applications.
King’s Trust
The King’s Trust provides free courses and support for individuals aged 16-30 to improve employability and entrepreneurial skills. Their programs include mentoring, job readiness courses, and an enterprise program to help young people start their own businesses.
Youth Employment UK
Youth Employment UK offers careers advice for young people, including free skills training, apprenticeship guidance, job opportunities, CV tips, and mental health support. It also provides resources to help young people find youth-friendly employers.
Health & Wellbeing
Childline
Childline is a UK-based support service for children and young people under 19. They provide confidential assistance on a wide range of issues, including bullying, mental health, abuse and family problems.
CAMHS
CAMHS provides a hub with resources supporting mental health for children, teens, families, and professionals. It offers self-help tools, guides, videos, resources, and 24/7 support.
YoungMinds
YoungMinds is a UK-based mental health charity dedicated to supporting children, young people and their families. They focus on promoting mental health awareness and providing practical help.
The Body Coach – Joe Wicks
Joe Wicks (The Body Coach) offers a YouTube channel containing free videos on exercising and promoting health and wellbeing. The videos contain various exercise videos aimed at different groups such as young people, adults or families.
The LGBT Foundation
The LGBT Foundation is a UK-based charity that provides support, advice, and resources for LGBTQ+ individuals. Their key services include: support services, health & well-being, and advocacy and community.
BBC: Good Food – Recipes
Going to college or uni and never cooked before? Our student recipes are a great way to get started with easy, cheap and filling dishes that are packed with flavour.
Care Experienced
The Care Leaver Covenant
The Care Leaver Covenant supports young people aged 16-25 with care experience by offering opportunities in employment, education, housing, and financial support. It connects care leavers with businesses and organisations that provide resources to help them transition to independent living.
BECOME
Become supports children in care and care leavers. It offers services like a helpline, coaching, events, and employment support, as well as a platform for university and college information. The charity aims to improve life chances for young people in care.
The Rees Foundation
The Rees Foundation provides lifelong support to individuals with foster care or residential care experience. They offer financial assistance, career and housing support, access to care records, and wellbeing resources to help care leavers thrive.
The Knapman Fund
The Knapman Fund is a bursary offered by NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) to help care leavers aged 16-25 in England and Wales with their transition into adulthood. Grants up to £500 can cover household goods, training courses, driving lessons, or laptops.
Special Education Needs & Disabilities Support
Mencap
The Mencap SEND System page explains the support available for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in England. It covers Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), school support, legal rights, and transitioning to adulthood. The page also provides guidance for parents and young people on accessing the right help. Further resources and advice services are available for those needing additional support.
EHC 19-25 Year Olds
This government guidance explains the entitlement of young people aged 19 to 25 to an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). It outlines when support should continue, focusing on preparation for adulthood, further education, and employment. Local authorities must assess individual needs and ensure the plan remains beneficial. It also clarifies when an EHCP may end and the rights to appeal decisions.
Disability Rights UK
Disability Rights UK’s Independent Living page explains the support available for disabled people to live independently. It covers personal assistance, housing, benefits, and accessing social care. The guide highlights legal rights, funding options, and practical advice for managing daily life. It also provides links to further resources and advocacy services.
ACAS
Acas’s Disability at Work page provides guidance on workplace rights for disabled employees. It covers reasonable adjustments, discrimination laws, and employer responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010. The page also explains how to handle workplace issues, request support, and resolve disputes. Further advice is available on making workplaces more inclusive.
Scope
Scope’s Support to Work service offers free online and telephone employment support for disabled people in England and Wales. It provides tailored advice on CVs, interviews, and job applications, helping individuals find and stay in work. The service includes one-to-one support from employment advisers and access to online resources. Eligibility criteria apply, and support is available for up to 12 weeks.
Disabled Students’ Allowance
The Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) helps cover extra costs for disabled students in higher education. It provides funding for specialist equipment, non-medical support, travel, and other disability-related expenses. Eligibility depends on individual needs rather than household income. Applications are made through Student Finance, with assessments determining the level of support.
General Resources
Leavers Booklet
Are you considering leaving school? Have a look at our Leavers Booklet designed to support you with the pathway you want to choose!
Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice provides free, impartial, and confidential advice to people in Scotland on a range of issues such as: money and debt, benefits, work, housing, and consumer issues.
Birth Certificate
A Birth Certificate is a crucial document for identity verification, available from the National Records of Scotland or the local council where you were born in the UK. It is essential for tasks like passport applications and opening bank accounts.
Passport
A Passport is an essential form of Photo ID that allows you to travel to different countries. You will need a form of photographic ID for many different things, for example, opening bank accounts or starting a new job.
Driver’s License
A Driver’s Licence is a form of Photo ID and proof that you are legally able to drive in the UK. Having photographic ID is very important. You will need a form of photographic ID for many different things, for example, opening bank accounts or starting a new job.
Coram Voice
Coram Voice helps children in care and care leavers by advocating for their rights and amplifying their voices. They offer support in care planning and other decisions, ensuring young people are informed and heard.