Diverse Leaders Network

What Diverse Leaders Network does

Diverse Leaders Network (DLN) is a UK-registered not-for-profit founded in 2014 by Katrina Thompson that operates an all-age leadership and employability pipeline for young people aged 7-24 from underrepresented backgrounds. The organisation's core methodology is the 3A Framework (Awareness, Ability, Access), which addresses three interconnected barriers to social mobility — career stereotypes forming from age 7, lack of 21st-century workplace skills, and limited access to professional networks. Product surface includes the All-Age Leadership and Employability Curriculum (Key Stage 2 through Key Stage 5), the Access Futures Mentoring Programme for Year 13 students, Immersive Work Day Experiences, the Bright Futures / Young Investor Week initiative, and The Network community.

The revenue model is structured around employer partnership subscriptions offered in three tiers — Employer Membership, Programme Sponsorship, and Annual Partnership — complemented by school partnerships delivering careers curriculum against the Gatsby Benchmarks. Membership for young people aged 16-24 is free and application-based. The go-to-market combines community-led recruitment (direct applications from young people, professional mentor onboarding through quarterly events) with enterprise field sales (30-minute discovery calls converting employers into multi-year partnerships). Named corporate partners include Landsec (since 2015, now on a three-year deal), BBC, Morgan Stanley, Grosvenor, and Innovate UK, alongside school partners such as Mulberry School, Townley Grammar School, and Dixon Broadgreen Academy. Innovate UK commissioned the Bright Futures pilot in 2023 in partnership with Ultra Education CIC.

Operationally, the organisation is lean — five employees based in London delivering national programmes across England. Since 2014, DLN reports having supported over 10,000 young people through a participant base that is 68% female, 81% from global majority / ethnic minority backgrounds, and 74% qualifying for free school meals. Reported outcomes include 92% of participants reporting increased career awareness, 88% reporting leadership and employability skill growth, 75% assuming leadership roles, 3 in 4 attributing post-16 employment or apprenticeship success to DLN, and 95% employer satisfaction with work placements.

Name

Diverse Leaders Network

Legal name

Diverse Leaders Network

Website

https://diverseleadersnetwork.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Diverse Leaders Network is a UK not-for-profit founded in 2014 that runs an all-age leadership pipeline for underrepresented young people aged 7-24. It combines employer partnerships, school curriculum delivery, and mentoring under its 3A Framework, serving corporates, schools, and youth.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mentoring & Leadership Development

NAICS

Professional Organizations (813920), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Mentoring, Coaching, Alumni Networking & Peer Support Platforms (EDAFAMAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Alumni, Peer & Community Networking Programs (EDAMAKAM), Professional & Career Networks (BPAMABAB)

Keywords

• Youth mentoring programs
• Leadership development
• Professional networking
• Social mobility initiatives
• Early career exposure

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Employer Partnerships: DLN offers three partnership tiers for employers: Employer Membership (flexible event-based engagement), Programme Sponsorship (supporting specific programmes, cohorts or regions), and Annual Partnership (sustained year-round engagement with reporting and visibility). These partnerships enable organisations to engage with diverse future talent while meeting social mobility commitments.
2. Network Membership for Young People: Network membership is free for young people aged 16-24, application-based. This is a not-for-profit movement focused on social impact rather than revenue generation from participants.
3. School Partnerships: Partnerships with schools to deliver the all-age leadership and careers curriculum, helping schools meet Gatsby Benchmarks and strengthen careers education provision.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Diverse Leaders Network is a not-for-profit that connects today's professionals with tomorrow's talent through structured mentoring, professional networking, and early leadership development programs. It delivers the Access Futures Mentoring Programme, immersive work-day experiences, financial-literacy programs (Bright Futures/Young Investor Week), an all-age curriculum, and a member network for young people and professionals.

Product overview

Diverse Leaders Network operates as a unified platform combining multiple interconnected programmes that work together to create a structured pipeline from early education (age 7) to employment. The core offerings include the All-Age Leadership and Employability Curriculum, the Access Futures Mentoring Programme for Year 13 students, Immersive Work Day Experiences, and the Bright Futures/Young Investor Week initiative. These are complemented by three employer engagement tiers: Employer Membership, Programme Sponsorship, and Annual Partnership. The Network serves as the central hub connecting young people with mentors, employers, and professional development opportunities through a progression from Awareness to Ability to Access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bright Futures: National event empowering marginalised young people in leadership, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through exposure to real investors and entrepreneurs in a pitch day format.
• Young Investor Week
• Access Futures Mentoring Programme
• Immersive Work Day Experiences

Products and services

• Access Futures Mentoring Programme A structured mentoring programme that pairs young people with corporate professionals to develop leadership skills and career awareness. Targeted at school-age participants from underrepresented backgrounds and delivered in partnership with employers and schools.
• Immersive Work Day Experiences Employer-hosted work-experience days that give young people direct exposure to professional environments, roles, and corporate culture. Designed for school-age students and delivered by corporate partners.
• Bright Futures / Young Investor Week A financial-literacy and investor-awareness programme that introduces young people to investing, money, and financial careers. Targeted at school-age students and supported by corporate partners.
• All-Age Curriculum A tiered curriculum spanning multiple age groups covering leadership, professional development, and career readiness, delivered through schools and partner organizations.
• The Network A member network of 200+ professionals and young people enabling ongoing professional networking, mentoring connections, and leadership development opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 92% of young people reported increased career awareness after completing DLN programme
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BBCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023More than 40 BBC staff members shared professional skills and experience with nearly 90 sixth-form students through DLN programmes. Staff gained valuable insights into the tastes, habits and social networks of teenagers while meeting potential next generation of creative industry entrants. Senior Community Affairs Manager notes the unique mutual benefit of the programme.
• Innovate UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Commissioned the Bright Futures pilot in 2023, uniting Ultra Education CIC's entrepreneurship expertise with DLN's Awareness, Ability, Access framework. A scalable UK-wide initiative integrating young people into the innovation ecosystem through early careers engagement with real-world investment exposure. Deputy Director notes this helps build the pipeline of talent and skills for the future.
• LandseccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Multi-year strategic partner of DLN's Access Futures programme since 2015. In 2023, entered a three-year partnership delivering Access Futures Mentoring Programme to support individuals from underrepresented socioeconomic backgrounds gain sustainable employment. Collaboration spans Westminster, Southwark and Wandsworth boroughs to boost diversity in real estate. Landsec employees serve as mentors and open workplaces to young people from marginalised backgrounds. Social Sustainability Manager notes mentors felt as if they were being mentored while developing inclusive behaviours.
• Morgan StanleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrusted employer partner engaged with DLN's diverse talent pipeline programmes for accessing diverse future talent in financial services.
• GrosvenorminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployer partner with Director noting incredibly high student engagement from DLN programmes and recommending any school work with DLN.
• Ultra Education CICcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-delivery partner for Bright Futures: Young Investors for a Day national event. Provides expertise in entrepreneurship and financial literacy, combined with DLN's 3A framework to create a powerful partnership transforming trajectories of disadvantaged youth in the innovation ecosystem.
• Dixon Broadgreen AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-year school partner where Careers Lead notes incredibly high student engagement from DLN's passionate empowerment of young people to become leaders of the future.
• Mulberry SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool partner where Student Leadership Co-Ordinator states DLN leadership programmes are CORE to everything and the foundation of what students do and who they become, helping individuals make proactive decisions that change lives.
• Townley Grammar SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool partner where Head Teacher states Leadership Education should be part of the curriculum, as important as Science, Maths, and English.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Career Ready: UK charity providing structured mentoring, workplace experiences, and career support to young people from low-income backgrounds — directly overlapping DLN's Access Futures model and employer-school-young-person trilateral partnerships.
• Speakers for Schools: UK charity providing free work experience, employer talks, and career insights to state school students. Directly comparable to DLN's Immersive Work Day Experiences and employer engagement model.
• Social Mobility Foundation: UK charity running mentored programmes, internships, and university access support for high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds. Closely aligned with DLN's Access Futures cohort and professional-network access goals.
• UpReach: UK social mobility charity providing mentoring, insight days, and corporate connections for undergraduates from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Comparable model of structured employer partnerships and one-to-one mentoring.
• Career Academies UK: UK charity running employer-led mentoring, internship and workplace visit programmes for sixth-form students. Directly mirrors DLN's Access Futures structure and emphasis on employer-led engagement.
• Generating Genius: UK charity preparing underrepresented students for STEM careers through university access and mentoring programmes. Comparable youth-focused, employer-linked intervention model targeting STEAM outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• The Prince's Trust: Large UK youth charity focused on education, employment and training for disadvantaged 11-30 year olds. Comparable mission around early career access, but with a much broader scope and scale than DLN's narrower leadership-development focus.

Emerging players

• Ultra Education CIC: UK social enterprise co-delivering Bright Futures with DLN; focused on entrepreneurship and financial literacy for marginalised youth. Comparable in scale and an active co-delivery partner to DLN.
• 93% Club: UK student-led social mobility organisation supporting state-school students into top universities and professional careers. Comparable audience and peer-led networking model, though more focused on university access than employment.
• MAYE (Minority Alliance for Youth Education): Cross-university network creating diverse talent pipelines for ethnic minority students into professional careers. Comparable target demographic and employer-engagement approach to DLN's diverse talent programmes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Diverse Leaders Network