We’re proud to share that Working Options has been shortlisted for Best Use of Social Media at the 2025 Third Sector Awards.
As a charity, we exist to help young people across England and Wales build the skills, confidence, and access to opportunities they need to shape their own career journeys. While our in-person workshops and talks remain a vital part of our offer, we know that to reach more young people – and to do so equitably – we need to meet them where they already are: online.
That’s why, in early 2024, we launched a new social-first strand of our work, supported initially by a LinkedIn Ad Grant and scaled through strategic investment from Google.org.
This project was shaped directly by feedback from our beneficiaries. Young people told us they didn’t want long webinars or hidden resources. They wanted relevant, engaging, short-form careers content – and they wanted it on platforms they already use, like TikTok.
We listened.
Led by our Head of Marketing and full-time Digital Content Creator, and supported by a team of paid interns, we’ve co-created videos with young people and volunteers from a wide range of industries. The goal: to demystify the language and pathways around work, open up insights from across sectors, and ultimately help more young people see themselves in the world of work.
The results have far exceeded our expectations:
Over 15 million views,
More than 3.75 million young people reached in 18 months,
A new, scalable way of delivering careers education that complements our live sessions and extends our impact.
We’re proud of this nomination – not because it’s about numbers, but because it recognises that bold, young-person-driven digital innovation has a place in the charity sector, and that when it’s done well, it works.
Congratulations to the other brilliant organisations shortlisted in this category:
The Mighty Creatives – Creative Youth Voice on Social Media
River Action UK – Nando’s Campaign
Electrical Safety First – The Traitors
Islamic Relief UK – Ramadan Emergency Awareness Campaign
Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity – Childhood-Centred Brand Launch
We’re in excellent company. Whatever the outcome, we’re excited to keep building on this work, sharing real advice with real impact.
Come back on 12 September to see if we win …
