Ziyad Ibrahim works at Beam, a social impact organisation which supports underserved people with human-centred technology. Beam supports people to get jobs, homes and skills, and to date has over 3000 case studies to prove their impact. Believing that everyone has a part to play in tackling the UK's biggest social problems, Beam partners with over 60 government bodies to tackle their most challenging social problems.
Beam and Zero Gravity are united in a partnership which aims to provide opportunity to those who most deserve it - but are often unfairly passed over. Ziyad wrote this blog for us on what the partnership means to him, reflecting on his own personal journey, and where Zero Gravity might have changed his life and those of his peers.
What the Zero Gravity x Beam partnership means to me
I’m Ziyad, I am a refugee, I grew up in a council house with a single mother. I'm lucky that I was good at school and managed to break out of the system. But this isn't the case for everyone. I currently work at Beam, a startup social enterprise using technology to support those left behind to access stable work and housing.
Growing up you are never aware of the scale of inequality in the world; certainly not how disproportionate opportunities will have such a major impact on your future.
I went to a state school in the middle of Camden Town. Reflecting back on it, you would describe it as “rough” - we had a police officer on site all day, questionable games played during break times and exposure to violence daily.
We knew no different, even when it was right in front of us. Just a minute away, across Chalk Farm bridge, was Primrose Hill - one of the most affluent areas of the country. The irony was completely lost on us.
School was easy for me and, like other high achievers at my school, we were often overlooked by teachers. Our school had to focus on those bordering the GCSE pass rate, so that they could secure more funding and help those that needed it most. I understand that decision. However, it is not farfetched for me to say….
Zero Gravity would have changed my life
I had no idea just how much the odds were stacked against me. My old friendship group consists of people who are now entrepreneurs, famous performers, business leaders - and those serving life sentences in prison. Life is a roll of the dice.
Investing in our youth is one of the most important things we can do as a country. Talent is evenly distributed, but opportunity is not. A study at the Civil Service showed that only 18% of management positions are held by those from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
Zero Gravity directly addresses this problem by providing high-achieving, ambitious students with access to opportunities that may have otherwise felt out of reach. Through 1:2:1 mentoring, supporting content and access to a thriving and supportive community of like-minded individuals, students are given the skills, knowledge and confidence to achieve their ambitions, paving the path for others to follow in their footsteps.
Where we have been blessed with skill, intelligence and opportunity, it is our responsibility to give that back to others.
Jazz legend Tony Bennet said “life teaches you how to live it” - so we should ask ourselves, what lessons are we asking our children to learn?
I’ve spent much of my life learning how to survive and navigate a world that is not built for me. Instead, I should have been finding my place with the confidence that I deserve to be here.
Luckily through Beam I have found my place, I give back to a community that has served me and through partnering with Zero Gravity we can support early talent entering the working world.
Major social issues have been impacted massively by modern enterprise, and Beam x Zero Gravity is the best example of it!
Together we build a better future. For those left behind by society and those that are just starting to experience it: our future will be populated with more stable home environments and more empathetic leaders.
Thanks Ziyad! To learn more about Beam, their mission, and their incredible impact, be sure to visit their website here. Beam frequently releases job opportunities and career up-skilling events to Zero Gravity members.
Wondering why Beam and Zero Gravity have partnered together? Well, Zero Gravity is on a mission to make opportunity match talent. We don't let barriers block our view of what's possible. We spot unrecognised talent and unlock it, spreading opportunity across the UK and powering high-potential students into top universities and careers.
Zero Gravity is home to the largest student community of top-performing socially mobile talent in the UK. Our tech identifies school students who are from the bottom 40% of social advantage and are in the top 15% of performing talent nationally, contextualising performance and background. We double the chances of securing top university offers and career paths, having already enhanced lifetime earnings by £270m. By 2025, we aim to create a £1bn uplift - creating impact that's good for individuals, businesses and society.
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