Where Passion Meets Potential

At FIRST we empower students, founders and professionals to reach their potential and beyond

You are First

We are an accredited learning and development agency specialising in empowering enterprise skills for students, graduates, jobseekers, early stage founders and entry level staff.

Learn more

Upcoming Events

  • Continuous Professional Development Course (CPD)

    Learn more
  • Impact Creators - Passport To Enterprise And Employment

    Learn more
  • Escape the Rat Race

    Learn more

Begin your startup story New course dates released!

Escape the Rat Race and become your own boss.

Explore all available courses to start your entrepreneurial journey. 

Learn more

STARTUP AWARDS NORTH EAST

Whether you're ready to SkillUP, StartUP or ScaleUP, the Awards will soon be open for entries

ofsted good

WE'RE OFSTED GOOD

The team are proud to announce our latest inspection result from Ofsted. Download the report here and read up about our experience by clicking the link below.

read more

Our work with Students & Graduates


Working throughout the UK and beyond, we support students and graduates to develop confidence and essential skills so they can find a job, start a business or initiate a civil project.

Learn more

Our work with Jobseekers

We're working with Jobcentre plus, housing associations, large community organisations and employment agencies to empower residents to develop enterprise skills and access meaningful education, decent work or resilient self employment.

Learn more

Our work with Early stage founders

Self belief, commercial awareness and connections to customers, mentors and peers - we're working hard to improve startup business rates and essential skills for ambitious founders.

Learn more

Our work with Employers

From meaningful CSR opportunities to supporting your leadership and confidence training for junior staff. We get your business and staff team connected.

Learn more

Celebrating North East Talent

Alongside our partners, Startup Awards North East shines a spotlight, celebrates and connects ambitious, early stage founders to life changing opportunities and experiences.

Learn more

Meet the Team

Charlotte Windebank

As FIRST’s Managing Director, Charlotte is responsible for development, vision and quality. She supports the operations and communication managers and ensures all company outputs are aligned to objectives, values, and mission. Alongside her role as director, Charlotte is an advocate for social and structural change within entrepreneurship and is regularly invited to speak about research, innovations and positive actions towards increased inclusivity and empowerment for early stage founders, young people and junior staff.

Follow Charlotte

Masud Raja

Masud's role is to share our enterprise and entrepreneurial opportunities with stakeholders including learners, partners and clients. As an innovating 'intrepreneur' Masud works with the learning/development and communications team to empower communities to develop confidence, leadership and progression skills.

Jack Havver

Jack works across our projects to support FIRST's community of learners, making sure they are comfortable and can fully participate in our courses workshops and events. Jack loves helping people and watching their courage and skills grow as a result of developing enterprise skills.

Cheryl Barkas

Cheryl works with all learners to share information about our courses, events and opportunities. She is brilliant at supporting learners with their options and loves to see the people he has worked with go onto achieve great things.

Follow Cheryl

Julianne Percival

We're thrilled to introduce Julianne Percival, our new Learning Skills Facilitator! Julianne brings over 20 years of experience in education, teaching, and enterprise skill development. Her expertise will be invaluable as she works closely with our learners on the exciting programmes FIRST has in store.

Molly McGoldrick

Molly, our Communications Officer at FIRST, is here to make your learning journey smoother and more exciting. She creates engaging content, shares success stories, and keeps everyone informed about our innovative programmes. By connecting our community and promoting our courses, Molly helps you feel motivated and empowered. With her support, you'll gain the confidence and skills to pursue your entrepreneurial dreams, further your education, or find meaningful work. Join us at FIRST, where Molly helps turn your potential into progress.

Follow Molly

Rachel Smith

We are delighted to welcome Rachel as our new Data Apprentice at FIRST. Rachel brings a fresh perspective and enthusiasm that we are confident will be a valuable addition to our team. We look forward to supporting her in developing her skills and contributing to our mission of empowering learners across the North East. Welcome aboard, Rachel!

Follow Rachel

Kimberley Cummings

Kimberley Cummings is an Engagement Specialist dedicated to fostering strong relationships and community involvement. She excels at connecting and empowering entrepreneurs, creating inclusive and impactful programmes. Kimberley's passion and expertise make her an invaluable asset to founders looking to grow their businesses and build meaningful connections.

Follow Kimberley

Seamus Laffan

Seamus Laffan is FIRST's Financial Controller, bringing precision and expertise to our financial operations. With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to accuracy, Seamus ensures our financial health and sustainability, supporting our mission to empower entrepreneurs and learners. His dedication and skill make him an integral part of our team.

Richard Chater

Richard Chater is a Learning and Skills Facilitator at FIRST. Passionate about education and empowerment, Richard excels at delivering engaging and effective learning experiences. His dedication to helping learners develop valuable skills makes him a key contributor to our mission.

Follow Richard

Caira Unsworth

We’re excited to welcome Ceira as our new Recruitment Officer at FIRST! She’ll be helping us connect with new learners from diverse backgrounds, supporting them in developing enterprise skills and accessing opportunities through our programmes.

Joanna Sam

Meet Joanna, our new Recruitment Coordinator at FIRST! With a passion for empowering individuals and a keen eye for talent, Joanna is dedicated to connecting learners with opportunities that align with their goals. Her role focuses on recruiting participants for our diverse courses and ensuring that everyone who joins FIRST feels supported from day one.

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Please let us know your preferences.


Please read our Cookie policy.

Manage