Volunteering: could you bring tax to life for young people?
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Most of us can remember a conversation, teacher or careers event that helped us see a new possibility. For many young people, tax is something they come across when they receive their first payslip. ATT members are well placed to change that by helping students understand how tax works, why it matters and where it could take them.
As an educational charity, the ATT has a goal of improving public understanding of tax. Our members can help to make that objective real. By sharing your experience at a careers fair, you can turn an unfamiliar subject into something practical and even inspiring.
A school visit does not need to be complicated. With younger pupils, you might talk about the services tax helps to fund. With older students, you might explain what tax professionals do, the skills they use and different routes into the profession. Often, the most valuable part is simply answering honest questions and showing that tax is not as remote or intimidating as it may first appear.
Careers fairs offer another easy way to make an impact. A brief conversation with a student, parent or teacher can introduce tax as a career that is varied, people-focused and open to those with different strengths and backgrounds. Members’ real-life stories are often the best way to bring that message to life.
You will not be on your own. The ATT provides resources to help volunteers prepare, including a Volunteer in Schools Toolkit, classroom materials, handouts and merchandise for events. These are there to give you a starting point, while leaving room for you to adapt the session to suit your audience and your own style.
Members can also find out more about getting involved at our free webinar ‘Tax, schools and careers – your profession needs you!’ on Tuesday 13 October. We will explain how members can use their tax knowledge to support teachers, inspire students and get involved with schools and careers events.
If you could spare time for a school visit, careers fair or initial conversation, please contact Steven Pinhey, the ATT’s Schools Education and Careers Outreach lead, at [email protected]. Your knowledge, enthusiasm and lived experience of the profession could help a young person understand the world of tax, and perhaps even imagine themselves as part of it in the future.