Community partnerships in action
Meaningful change often starts with a single opportunity.
Through partnerships with community organizations around the world, State Street Foundation helps create those opportunities — opening doors to education, career readiness, and economic mobility for individuals facing systemic barriers. From classrooms and workplaces to communities and career pathways, these partnerships are helping people gain the skills, support, and confidence needed to shape more promising futures and drive lasting impact where it matters most.
Read on to learn how our community partners are making a difference in the lives of individuals and communities around the world.
Equipping Boston’s future workforce
North America – Boston Private Industry Council (United States)
The Boston Private Industry Council (PIC) plays a central role in strengthening the city’s workforce by connecting young people and adults with meaningful career opportunities. As Boston’s MassHire Workforce Development Board and its school-to-career intermediary, PIC brings together employers, educators, and community partners to help prepare residents for a changing, skills-driven economy.
Partnering with State Street Foundation, PIC is expanding access to work-based learning at scale — clearing the path from education to careers. In the past year, PIC helped connect nearly 1,050 Boston Public School students to paid internships, while supporting an additional 1,300 youth in securing traditional teen summer jobs.
Beyond gaining a paycheck, PIC students develop professional skills, expand their networks, and build confidence that creates pathways for long-term success.
By aligning student potential with employer needs, PIC is helping build a more resilient workforce pipeline — one that opens doors to long-term opportunity for Boston’s next generation.
Reestablishing opportunities in education for girls
APAC – EducateGirls (India)
Despite significant advancements in India's education system, millions of girls —particularly in rural and underserved communities — remain excluded from accessing opportunities to complete their education. Educate Girls was founded to address this gap.
Through its Pragati program, launched in 2021, Educate Girls provides second-chance pathways for adolescent girls and young women who are no longer eligible to enroll in formal schooling. The program combines flexible academic options with life skills, digital literacy, and career awareness.
With support from State Street Foundation, Educate Girls is expanding the reach of Pragati, helping more young women gain the credentials, skills, and confidence to move forward in life. Since 2007, Educate Girls has improved learning outcomes for over 2.5 million children, and through Pragati has helped over 53,000 adolescent girls and young women re-enter education. This work has earned global recognition. In 2025, Educate Girls became the first Indian organization to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award, and in 2026, founder Safeena Husain was named one of TIME’s “Women of the Year.” Educate Girls aims to reach 10 million learners by 2035.
Together, Educate Girls and State Street Foundation are unlocking new possibilities for individuals, families, and communities — helping ensure that the way forward is not closed to those who once stepped away.
Helping young people chart a path forward
EMEA – ThinkForward (United Kingdom)
At age 14, Radwan felt unsure about his future. Like many young people facing systemic barriers, he lacked direction and confidence. Through ThinkForward’s FutureMe program, he saw new possibilities, and today he is studying for a career in law.
Radwan’s journey reflects the broader impact of ThinkForward’s long-term coaching model. Through consistent, one-to-one coaching, the program equips young people with the skills, experiences, and networks needed to succeed in education, employment, or career training (EET).
With support from partners like State Street Foundation, ThinkForward is scaling its impact across the UK. In the past year, the FutureMe program reached 1,094 young people, with 79 percent of graduates sustaining positive EET outcomes — and that number rising to 82 percent in London. Across the program, 67 percent improved their work readiness capabilities, while 75 percent completed essential “ready for work” milestones, increasing their likelihood of EET by 77 percentage points.
Together, ThinkForward and State Street Foundation are helping young people move from uncertainty to opportunity — creating more equitable outcomes and building pathways to long-term success.