Parents of pupils across Henry Fawcett and Lilian Baylis schools recently took part in two interactive workshops held at Lilian Baylis that have been designed to introduce them to the world of life sciences. 

Designed and delivered by The Liminal Space as part of their Job Design Lab initiative sessions aimed at sparking curiosity, challenging perceptions, and highlighting the diverse career opportunities within this fast-growing sector.

The workshops explored what life sciences really means—going beyond traditional lab-based roles to look at pathways within digital health, genetic counselling and biomedical research. Through hands-on activities and experiments, and thought-provoking discussions, parents examined the essential skills they already hold that could translate to this sector, the impact of science on everyday life, and the importance of representation in supporting health equity. 

Themes that emerged included the power of role models - many parents expressed that seeing people from similar backgrounds working in life sciences made these careers feel more achievable. They also discussed barriers such as misconceptions about needing a science-only background and talked about the need for visible career pathways for their children.

By the end of the sessions, parents were not only more informed but also more confident about the possibility of their family members exploring potential opportunities in the industry. 

With Lambeth positioning itself as an emerging hub for life sciences, workshops like these help ensure that young people and parents —especially those from underrepresented backgrounds—can see themselves and people they know shaping the future of healthcare, medicine, and scientific innovation.

This initiative is part of a borough wide effort to connect people with career pathways they might not have previously considered, ensuring they have the knowledge and inspiration to pursue opportunities in life sciences and beyond.

These workshops were made possible with thanks to funding from Lambeth Council and Impact on Urban Health. Find out more about The Liminal Space and the Job Design Lab here: https://www.the-liminal-space.com A big thank you to parents for their fantastic engagement throughout.