Better futures, built together
No organisation holds the whole solution to social mobility. Every organisation can be part of it.
The Social Mobility Leaders’ Forum (SMLF) brings leaders across sectors and places together to tackle shared problems, take practical action and influence the systems that shape access to and progression in good careers.
Why the Forum exists
Where someone starts in life still has too much influence on the opportunities available to them – from education, to training, networks, progression and good careers.
Lots of people and organisations across the UK are working hard to improve social mobility. But the challenges are too complex, and too interconnected, for any one organisation to solve alone - the barriers cut across education, employment, employer practice, policy and place.
Lack of commitment isn’t the problem, it’s turning commitment across organisations, sectors and places into greater progress.
Progress happens when we connect evidence, practice and lived experience, and turn what we learn into action. That is why SMLF exists.
Opportunity is still too unequal
A person’s background and where they live still shape the opportunities available to them – from education and networks to jobs, progression and good careers.
Shared challenges need shared action
There is no shortage of commitment or initiatives to improve social mobility. SMLF helps turn connection into practical action on problems no organisation can solve alone.
Together, we can influence the systems that shape opportunity
We connect employers, educators, charities, policymakers and regional partners with people and perspectives shaped by lived experience – because each holds a different part of the solution.
What we do
From connection to action
No organisation holds the whole solution to social mobility. Every organisation can be part of it.
We connect employers, educators, charities, social enterprises, and policymakers from across the UK to learn from one another, work on shared challenges and turn that into action, influence and progress.
Member forums
Identify shared challenges and opportunities for action.
Youth voice
Lived experience brought into the decisions and solutions that affect people
Action workshops
Develop practical responses to challenges that cut across sectors
Evidence & tools
Share what’s working and develop effective approaches that go further
Partnerships
Connect with organisations to achieve more together
Our community
Different perspectives, one shared ambition.
Progress happens when people come together around a shared goal. Our community of members includes:
Employers
Shaping recruitment, progression and access to good careers.
Educators
Strengthening routes from learning into work and progression.
Charities & Social Enterprises
Bringing expertise, delivery experience and lived experience.
Policymakers & Regional Partners
Connecting national ambition with locally led action, and influencing the wider systems that shape opportunity.
Our Board
The Social Mobility Leaders’ Forum (SMLF) was founded by our Chair, Paul Modley, Managing Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging at AMS.
Paul could see that employers, educators, charities, policymakers and others across the UK were already doing important work to improve social mobility, but that no single organisation held the whole solution. SMLF was created to connect people and organisations across sectors and places, so that shared challenges could lead to shared action.
Two years on, SMLF is supported by a Board of seven people who bring different perspectives, expertise and lived experience from across the social mobility landscape. All are volunteers, contributing their time and experience alongside their day-to-day roles.
They are united by one shared vision: everyone has access to and can thrive and progress in good careers, regardless of their background.
The Board helps guide the Forum’s direction and supports its mission to turn connection into practical action, bringing together evidence, insights, practice and lived experience to influence the policies, practices and pathways that shape access to and progression in good careers.
Paul Modley
Founder & Board Chair
Felicity Halstead
Board Sponsor, Early Careers & Youth Voice
Nina Slingsby
Board Sponsor, Programmes & Operations
Arad Reisberg
Board Sponsor, New Member Growth
Mark Jones
Board Sponsor, Progression
Sarah Jurado
Board Sponsor, Comms, Marketing & PR
Sarah Caton
Board Sponsor, Senior Leadership
Find out more
As an SMLF member, you will work with organisations across sectors and places to tackle shared challenges, influence change, share what works and help shape a more positive narrative about social mobility.
Collaborate for action: Work with others on shared initiatives and practical challenges, from inclusive recruitment to youth voice.
Influence change: Contribute to a stronger voice on the issues shaping access, progression and opportunity to good careers.
Share and learn: Exchange insight, evidence, lived experience and emerging practice.
Change the narrative: Help shape a more positive conversation about people from lower socio-economic backgrounds – one that recognises capability, talent, ambition and potential, while being honest about the barriers that get in the way of progress.
Join a cross-sector community and build relationships with organisations working on the same challenges.
Register your interest now →
Frequently asked questions
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There is no single, universal definition of social mobility. At SMLF we have chosen to use the Sutton Trust’s definition:
“Social mobility is the link between someone’s socio-economic (or “class”) background - the social and economic circumstances they grew up in - and their own outcomes as adults… An individual’s socio-economic background is made up of several different factors, some primarily social, some primarily economic, and others a mix of both. Many different aspects of someone’s socio-economic background will also interact with one another.” – Sutton Trust, ‘What is Social Mobility?’ (2025).
In the UK, where you grow up, your family income, education, networks and local opportunities shape your chances of getting good work. Social mobility is about changing that so more people can access and progress in good careers.
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The Social Mobility Leader’s Forum (SMLF) harnesses the combined power of organisations across sectors and places to create more opportunity for people from lower socio-economic backgrounds through action and influence.
We connect people and organisations, across sectors and places, who each hold different parts of the solution to social mobility – from education into work and progression. By combining evidence, expertise, practice and lived experience, members can turn share challenges into practical action and strengthen their influence on the issues that shape access to and progression in good careers. That is our mission.
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The Social Mobility Leaders’ Forum (SMLF) was founded by our Chair, Paul Modley, Managing Director, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging at AMS, a Korn Ferry company, in 2024.
Paul could see excellent action and collaboration happening across social mobility and a strong commitment to improve it. Turning that commitment into progress has been the challenge – social mobility in the UK hasn’t moved in decades. That is how SMLF started – as a Forum to bring organisations together to work towards practical, sustainable improvements to social mobility.
Two years on, we have over 160 members across the UK from employers to charities, educators, social enterprises, membership bodies and policymakers.
SMLF is supported by a Board of seven people who bring different perspectives, expertise and lived experience from across the social mobility landscape. All are volunteers, contributing their time and experience alongside their day-to-day roles. They are united by one shared vision: everyone has access to and can thrive and progress in good careers, regardless of their background.
The Board helps guide the Forum’s direction and supports its mission to turn connection into practical action, bringing together evidence, insights, practice and lived experience to influence the people, practices, pathways and policies that shape access to and progression in good careers.
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SMLF helps organisations move from conversation to action. We convene our members every six weeks to share evidence, practice and lived experience, work together on shared challenges and strengthen collective influence on the people, practices, pathways and policies that shape access to and progression in good careers.
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SMLF is for organisations that want to play an active role in improving social mobility. Members include employers, charities, educators, social enterprises, membership bodies, policymakers and other organisations that influence access, opportunity, careers and progression. We have over 160 members spread across the UK, with hubs in Manchester, London and South East and Wales. You do not need to have all the answers; you just need to be willing to contribute.
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We connect people and organisations, across sectors and places, who each hold different parts of the solution to social mobility – from education into work and progression. By combining evidence, expertise, practice and lived experience, members can turn shared challenges into practical action and strengthen their influence on the issues that shape access to and progression in good careers.
As an SMLF member you can:
Collaborate for action: Work with others on shared initiatives and practical challenges, from inclusive recruitment to youth voice.
Influence change: Contribute to a stronger voice on the issues shaping access, progression and opportunity to good careers.
Share and learn: Exchange insight, evidence, lived experience and emerging practice.
Change the narrative: Help shape a more positive conversation about people from lower socio-economic backgrounds – one that recognises capability, talent, ambition and potential, while being honest about the barriers that get in the way of progress.
Be part of a community: Join organisations across sectors and regions committed to improving social mobility.
Build your network: Connect with employers, educators, policymakers, charities and social enterprises.
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Start by signing our member charter, joining the conversation, coming to an event and contributing what you know. SMLF gives members opportunities to share insight, collaborate on practical projects, contribute to collective thinking and help shape action on the barriers affecting access, opportunity and progression into good careers.