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 progression skills and leadership experiences for cross sector clients including educational institutions, combined authorities, community organisations and private business.
Our work with Young People
Working throughout the UK and beyond, we support young people to develop confidence and essential skills so they can find a job, start a business or initiate a civil project.
Our work with Businesses & Employees
From meaningful CSR opportunities to support early stage founders to leadership and confidence training for junior staff. We get your business and staff team connected.
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.
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.
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.
Sam Gallilee
Sam has 20 years experience working across the education and youth sector for school trusts, local councils and national charities. Sam’s passion and experience ensures all of FIRST’s projects create meaningful outcomes whilst supporting the team to ensure they have the resources they need to deliver their projects to the highest quality standards.
Ellie Short
Ellie works on assessment, pastoral care and coordinates all of FIRST's educational contracts to ensure learners develop essential skills and gain valuable experiences when working with us. She is passionate about inclusive education and loves a challenge!
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.
Carl Scarisbrick
Carl works across our projects to build our digital community of learners and leaders. He ensures that market data drives our communications and keeps our designs and messaging on brand. Carl is a people person and loves team banter :)
Caroline Coates
Caroline brings to the team her expert eagles eye, attention to detail and problem solving skills when working with publicly funded projects. She is skilled in accounting with a degree in law and loves supporting the team to deliver courses, events and workshops whilst overseeing payments, outputs and reports.
Sam Clegg
Samuel Clegg is an advocate for entrepreneurship, business and innovation, and is highly passionate about supporting and helping others in their business journeys. He is a business owner, advisor, academic, and published researcher with over 10 years’ experience within the SME and Startup profession. Sam works as a tutor for our enterprise courses and brings energy, passion and first hand knowledge of what it's like to run a business.
Nina Raja
As a creative entrepreneur and teacher, Nina's skill set is in engagement and accessibility of our enterprise qualifications. She brings charisma, vibrancy and uses her creative eye to innovate within courses and workshops to ensure they are fun and interactive for learners.
Lord Simon Jacobs
Simon is a caring, innovative and people focused entrepreneur who works with learners to refine their business thoughts and build confidence/self belief. He is a creative, unusual and inspiring tutor, instilling a can do attitude whilst challenging learners to think outside the box.
Sammy Hardesty
As a communications expert, Sammy specialises in our networking, personal branding and market research workshops. As a well respected North Eastern entrepreneur, Sammy has built her professional network and loves nothing more than sharing how she did it with learners. She's fun, passionate and engaging so you can see why she fits in well with the team!
Justine Carrion-Weiss
Think design, innovation and passion. Justine has it in buckets and alongside her PHD and running a successful consultation company, she works on our courses and workshops to build skills and confidence for early stage founders.
Alison Shaw
As an educational leader, Alison is an expert in social impact and skills. She is passionate about creating opportunities for young people's progression and making changes within education so it's accessible to all communities.
Lucy Batley
As an established and successful business owner, Lucy is an expert in communications and brand strategy. She ensures that FIRST keeps on message and with her wealth of experience within the private sector, utilises her connections, insights and creativity to help shape FIRST's strategy.
Simon Hanson
Simon is a policy and lobbying expert with a passion and mission to make the regional economy inclusive. As a public sector expert he ensures FIRST is making connections and building a case of support within local authorities to help more residents access support from FIRST.
You?
FIRST are always on the look at for talented, training associates to join our team. For more information email hello@youarefirst.co.uk
Upcoming Events
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Startup Awards North East - Live Finals!
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Free Level 1 in Understanding Enterprise Course
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Startup Awards North East Accelerator
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