Helping HSBC inspire students from non-traditional backgrounds

The challenge

HSBC is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, on a mission to open up a world of opportunity for its customers and communities.

Through its Insight Programme, HSBC introduces students, often from non-traditional backgrounds, to the financial services sector. Its UK Insight Day in Birmingham brought together about 120 penultimate and final-year students from Midlands universities, who were about to make the move from university into a professional working environment. HSBC wanted an external speaker who could connect authentically with the underrepresented young people in the audience and share a personal professional journey.

What I delivered

My session sat at the centre of the day, between the morning’s skills sessions and the afternoon’s business insights. I gave a 30-minute keynote followed by 15 minutes of Q&A, drawing on how becoming a Paralympian opened up new opportunities for me. The talk focused on three things:

• Adopting a growth mindset
• Identifying and navigating barriers
• Building and leaning into support networks

HSBC recognised the value of inspiration from lived experience: stories that would resonate with students and also give them practical tools for personal and professional growth.

The impact

Students reported:

• Increased self-belief and a sense of possibility
• A deeper understanding of how to stay resilient in competitive environments
• A feeling of being seen and supported in a high-performing industry

The organisers noticed strong engagement during and after the session, with students asking thoughtful questions and reflecting on how they could apply what they had heard. The event also reinforced HSBC’s commitment to inclusion and accessibility, and to developing future leaders from all walks of life.