LEADERS IN PROFESSIONAL CAREER ADVICE

Trusted by corporates and government

We provide cutting edge research backed insight and programmes to support professionals.

Brave Starts is an amazing not-for-profit community of mid and late career professionals led by seasoned career development experts.

Trusted by some amazing clients
Mike Mansfield

brave starts in UK parliament

We ask government to consider how volunteering can be made more accessible to all.

In absence of career change or entry schemes targeting the experienced workers, if this is the only route available it must be more accessible.

Our Amazing Volunteers

We'd be nothing without the support of people who give up their time, expertise and skill without payment or salary. You can't buy passion, but your £30 a year donation really does help towards our costs.

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Give As You Learn

"100% of our fees support charities, small businesses and our own community"

A successful track record of helping people build better futures

Focused on needs as we change and get older

A dynamic community of talented, well connected professionals

Innovative opportunities  to enable longer working lives

OUR VALUES

Not for Profit

We are purpose driven. Any fees charged help our community, charities and small businesses.

Research Based

We care about evidence. If we can't back it up we don't share it - or we share with caveats.

Community

We are stronger together. Collectively, we have a louder voice to influence change

Meet the team

Harris Karim

Co Founder
Tech Lead.

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Anna Streule

Anna Streule

Co Founder
Editor and Comms

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Lucy Standing

Lucy Standing

Co Founder
Strategy and Partnerships

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Mike Mansfield

Mike Mansfield

Thought Leader
Program Director

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Alan Hayes

Alan Hayes

Psychologist
Career Coach

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Natalie Forkin

Natalie Forkin

Communications
Marketing Expert

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Advisory Board

We are a mission based not for profit full of incredible and passionate advisors

Ian Tracey

Ian
Tracey

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David Blackburn

David
Blackburn

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Michael Easton

Michael
Easton

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Baroness Ros Altmann

Baroness Ros Altmann

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Alistair
McQueen

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Where Member Funding Goes?

We operate on a volunteer basis to support our activities of helping our members lead longer, fuller, working lives. Our member fees go to supporting our platform, our legal fees, and general company admin. Your support helps us on the journey to achieving our mission.

Q: Why volunteers and not employees?

We've made a commitment to only focus on sharing and driving benefit for our members. We work with academics to ensure what we share is based on what works (not what is popular or attracts clickbait). We are focused on building the evidence base and blueprint for how we can best access and enjoy work as we get older. Our commitment means we don't accept referral fees, allow advertising and we have no interest or reason to sell your data. This commitment means we don't attract investors.

Similarly, we do not qualify for government grants as support for career guidance is only available or organisations supporting people under the age of 21.

We don't generate enough income to pay employees, so we rely on volunteers. We hope one day we will become large enough to generate salary payments. In the meantime, your support and donations contribute towards our running costs.

Q: Why the low price?

This is an ongoing debate for us, but we'd rather keep fees to a minimum to try and help as many people as possible.  We will however review this and adjust as needs change. 

Q: When did it start?

Harris met Lucy at a dinner exploring the solutions to an ageing society. Their visions were aligned - Lucy the psychologist specialising in mid/later life career development and Harris the tech wizard who makes everything happen. 
We're a registered Community Interest Company (basically we're too small to be a charity!) Our articles of association mean if we do generate profit in the future, it needs to go back into supporting and helping our members. Think of us as a professional body for people over 45 who want to love and enjoy their work. 

Q: Why focus on people over 45? 

Society is youth focused and people over 45 simply aren't 'sexy' enough to attract or garner the interest or PR needed to drive real change and investment into this demographic (you can read and comment on our article here). Career support and guidance is more widely available for the young. Every FTSE 100 organisation has a 'graduate' scheme, but there are not yet 'career changer' or later year entry schemes. Our professional members would not be seen in a job centre and those who have used them are unsatisfied with the service. 
We don't believe in criticism, but where we see a real need, we feel compelled to do what we can. By focusing on building up our community of people over 45 and arming them with the insight, knowledge, skills and strategies we know help we achieve more and that feels amazing. 

Q: What are our goals and what do we want to achieve? 

We want to raise the standards of career guidance and support for people over 45.  Standards currently are not guaranteed and much of what is available is not practical or lacks the evidence to prove it works. (For example, you can read our article on what you should look out for if you are considering hiring a career coach) 
We truly know as people get older, they do get wiser and so many problems in our workforce can be addressed by embracing and recognising the value of our ageing population. We will have done our job when organisations invest in strategies we can prove work and when people aren't held back from opportunities they should be celebrated for achieving.

VOLUNTEER

Become a Brave Starter with us!

We are always looking for brave people who want to help people succeed in their life aspirations. If you can regularly commit a few hours a week, please send us an email to hello@bravestarts.com with your background (preferably LinkedIn) and why you would like to join our mission and team.  

our fees support our community & charities