CoachBright Chief Executive Joe McGinn recently spoke with the University of Warwick’s Widening Participation Manager, Baljit Gill, about our current partnership, the importance of her work at the award-winning university, and why working to improve social mobility is so vital.
What is your current role at the university?
I’m the Widening Participation Manager at the University of Warwick. Our team has expanded significantly over the past few years and is now called the Widening Participation and Social Mobility team. My role focuses on outreach and educational partnerships, supporting young people from primary school right through to 18.
Why did you add ‘social mobility’ to your team’s name?
Our goal isn’t just about widening participation, it’s about enabling social mobility. We don’t just want to get young people through the university doors; we want to give them the experiences, skills, and opportunities to make informed decisions about their futures. It’s about equity, not just access.
What do you like about CoachBright’s mission and work?
CoachBright aligns perfectly with our Experience Warwick programme. Finding out about CoachBright’s work felt like finding a ‘soulmate’ in the sector; our values and ambitions completely aligned. Many organisations approach us with proposals on how they can support our work, but CoachBright stood out by trusting us to choose the schools and young people that we felt would most benefit from our support. We really respect and value that level of partnership and collaboration.
How does your current partnership with CoachBright work?
We’re working together on both the Peer-to-Peer and Core programmes, with our second cohort of this academic year now underway. We’ve carefully selected schools where we know the impact will be strongest. The feedback has been outstanding. Schools are asking to continue year after year because they see the real difference it makes to their students.
What makes this partnership stand out from others?
CoachBright integrate with our wider outreach efforts rather than operating as a separate entity. They listen to our needs, adapt their programmes accordingly, and share our commitment to sustained impact rather than one-off interventions.
How has working with CoachBright influenced your approach to widening participation?
It has reinforced the importance of working with partners who share our vision. Seeing the impact of a structured, coaching-based approach has strengthened our belief that sustained, meaningful engagement is the key to real social mobility. We now look for more opportunities to embed this type of work across our programmes.
What impact have you seen from CoachBright’s programmes?
Schools have told us that the impact on students has been transformative. One of the teachers we’re working with said the Peer-to-Peer programme was the most impactful intervention he’s ever seen. Pupils are more engaged, confident, and better prepared for their future choices. The structure and consistency of the programme complement our work perfectly.
Why should other universities partner with CoachBright?
I’d encourage other universities that are genuinely committed to improving access for underrepresented groups to partner with CoachBright. CoachBright’s programmes have provided a meaningful, sustained impact, and are helping us to deepen our existing work.
What are the biggest challenges to meaningful social mobility today?
One of the biggest challenges is ensuring that opportunities for young people from underrepresented backgrounds don’t just exist in name but are truly accessible and lead to long-term impact. There’s still a significant gap between widening participation in HE and real social mobility; getting into university is only the first step. We need more structured support throughout a young person’s journey, including attainment-raising interventions, coaching, financial support, and career progression pathways. Collaboration between universities, charities, and employers is crucial to making this happen at scale.
Final thoughts?
This is one of the best partnerships we’ve developed. CoachBright delivers where we can’t, and we don’t have to second-guess whether our goals align; we both want the same outcomes for young people. That’s what makes it such a strong collaboration.
We are very grateful to Baljit and the University of Warwick for their commitment to social mobility and for making this partnership a success.
Baljit Gill