Big Issue’s 100 Changemakers of 2026: Learning and employment

Not everyone gets an equal start in life, so these people are offering tools, expertise and mentoring to help anyone who’s hoping to get a foothold in a fulfilling career.

Every year Big Issue compiles a list of 100 organisations and people who are bringing change to their community. It’s a chance to celebrate the agenda-setting activists and grassroots groundbreakers delivering change.

Headhere to see the full Big Issue 100 Changemakers list

Mandy Rawlinson

Driving change from the inside out, Rawlinson is a senior financial services executive and gender equity advocate working to dismantle barriers facing women at work. After becoming the youngest woman to join her FTSE 250 employer’s executive committee, she turned her focus to what comes next: fairer systems around pay, parenting, progression and representation. Through practical career tools including workbooks, retreats and her forthcoming book You (Don’t) Belong Here, Rawlinson helps women build confidence, navigate bias and lead authentically. Her work tackles the gender pay gap and supports long-term financial freedom for women across the UK.

Ignition Brewery

At the heart of Sydenham, Ignition Brewery proves that great beer can also power social change. This SE London social enterprise trains and employs people with learning disabilities in brewing, bottling and running its taproom. It is also a community hub, offering free space for carers, alongside running clubs, music nights, games events and a monthly neurodiverse night. It’s owned by Brighter Horizons, which supports people with severe learning disabilities and their carers, and every pint sold helps create inclusive employment. Ignition’s award-winning model could be a blueprint for supported work nationwide.

Beth Thomas, Our Place Support CIC

Thomas is mentoring scheme manager at Our Place, leading trauma-informed mentoring across Birmingham for young people aged six to 25. She oversees services focused on emotional and social wellbeing, helping young people navigate adversity, build resilience and feel less alone. She also develops and delivers training for schools and professionals. With lived experience of trauma, homelessness and mental ill health, Thomas offers the kind of support she once needed herself.

David Dein

Nominated by Mike Soutar, Big Issue Ambassador

Since leaving the boardroom, David Dein MBE has channelled his football career into widening opportunity for young people. A former Arsenal vice-chairman and a key figure in the creation of the Premier League, he now delivers motivational talks on work, ambition and resilience through Speakers for Schools. Big Issue Ambassador Mike Soutar, who nominated him, said: “He has spoken at more schools about careers, jobs and work than I think anyone else in Britain.” Since 2014, Dein has visited over 500 state schools.

Collaboration Laboratory

Collaboration Laboratory (CoLab) helps children develop essential communication and problem-solving skills that are often missed in mainstream education. Through mini-camps, game-based challenges and a bespoke app, CoLab, led by founder and CEO Alan Tang encourages young people to learn by doing, working together, thinking creatively and building empathy. Its approach prepares children for a future where teamwork and adaptability matter more than ever. Collaboration Laboratory won Edufuturists’ Most Innovative Educational Project 2024.

Marcus Davey, The Roundhouse

Creativity is treated as a right, not a luxury, under Davey’s leadership at the Roundhouse. Over 26 years, he has helped turn the iconic Camden venue into a nationally recognised hub for non-formal creative education, where youth work and culture sit side by side. Each year, more than 11,000 young people aged 13 to 25 access professional music, media and performance facilities in the Roundhouse Creative Studios for as little as £1 an hour. Davey steps down as CEO this year, but by the time he leaves, The Roundhouse hopes to be marking 100,000 young people who have used their studios to get into the creative industries.

Soul Purpose, 360 CIC

This social enterprise is creating spaces where women do not have to struggle alone. After the death of her sister, founder Palma Black built a community rooted in belonging, connection and self-expression. Starting in Croydon, Soul Purpose has grown to almost 2,000 members across London and beyond, offering workshops in wellbeing, leadership, creativity, careers and entrepreneurship. Members shape the programme with their own ideas, supported by volunteer facilitators. With a new community building secured in Croydon, and recent funding confirmed by Big Issue Invest, it is growing into a lasting hub for women’s voices and potential.

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• Why Wates are the perfect partners for the Big Issue 100 Changemakers of 2026

GoodWork

GoodWork helps underrepresented talent build the confidence, skills and networks needed to launch sustainable careers. Founded in 2022, the registered charity delivers early careers programmes combining training, work experience and one-to-one support for young adults who have left education without the qualifications or connections often expected by employers. GoodWork removes barriers by covering travel costs, offering flexible support and requiring no academic credentials. More than 100 young people have completed its programmes so far, with over 75% progressing into education or employment. GoodWork also campaigns for fairer, more inclusive entry-level hiring.

NNECL

The National Network for the Education of Care Leavers (NNECL) works to ensure care-experienced learners can access and thrive in further and higher education. It connects education providers, shares evidence-based practice and delivers training, conferences and awards that drive improvement. With lived experience embedded across the organisation, NNECL supports a community where only 15% of care leavers enter education by 19, helping more young people progress into fulfilling careers and financially secure lives.

The Television Workshop

Based in Nottingham, The Television Workshop is a Bafta-winning charity that trains young people aged seven to 21 in performance for screen, stage and radio. It offers weekly sessions that nurture individuality, discipline and confidence. By keeping fees low and providing bursaries based on talent, it opens doors to those who might otherwise be priced out of creative training. Alumni have gone on to successful careers across the arts and beyond.

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