The Electric Brompton and Social Mobility

A few months ago I invested in an Electric Brompton (folding bicycle). My main motivation was to save time – my most important resource.

Cycling home from work the other day various events came together to present an unexpected but perfect anecdote of the impact of resources on social mobility. Social mobility can broadly be thought of as the link between your parent’s life outcomes and your own.

I hope you find my cycle home a useful reflection on the inherent advantages that some young people have over others and what we can do, particularly as professionals, to help.

An investment mindset

My mindset to want to invest in something to help me achieve certain goals (spend more time with kids, blogging, making videos etc) is something in itself.

It is difficult to have this mindset when, due to your limited resources, you are primarily concerned with providing the basic needs for your family. This was the position of my parents growing up.

In comparison, parents with resources are thinking about all the ways they can invest to get their children ahead. This is where the non-genetic link between parent and child outcomes begins – see my video on survival vs growth for more on this.

So perhaps these parents buy their children an Electric Brompton…

A level playing field?

As I whizzed past others on my way home I felt a great sense of advantage. Although I was suited and booted, even the lycra crew couldn’t keep up with me given the nature of inner city stop-start cycling. So what’s going on here?

The playing field simply wasn’t level. How can I expect others to compete with the 350w motor in my new toy. Even when some people seemed like they would be able to compete, my ability to navigate inner-city cycling got me ahead.

Thinking about school outcomes, which children do we expect to do better? Perhaps those with a library of books at home, more resources, a personal laptop and a private tutor. There are a range of factors that predict pupil outcomes, but the fact that the playing field is not level, even when it can appears to be, is an issue.

It is the role of Government, Schools and many others to play their part in levelling the playing field to allow pupils to be more competitive and reach their full potential.

Negative events

I was beaming smugly as I overtook people who I know would probably beat me in an even race. But hey, life is unfair…I’ve worked hard for this advantage.

As I approached Lambeth Bridge I crossed paths with a fellow Brompton owner. We shared a smile before preparing our quads for the ascent. As our speed began to slow, my electric motor kicked into overdrive, gliding me effortlessly up the hill leaving my fellow Brompton friend far behind.

Life puts many challenges in the path of young people and this is where having the right resources really starts to pay off.

Is home the final destination?

As I arrived home, I realised that this wasn’t mission complete. What I had been aiming for all along was a nice cup of tea with my feet up on the sofa.

It turns out my neighbour had also arrived home at the same time and we live in the same block of flats. You would expect us to reach the sofa at the same time…

As he begins to faff around with locks, I quickly fold up my bike, rush through the door and put the kettle on. Once again, this investment has paid dividends.

However, 10 years ago I was the neighbour faffing around with locks after graduating from  a top University. The younger me thought that reaching that destination was enough. Get a good degree, get a good job and have a good life.

I soon found out there were important goals that I wasn’t aware of and I didn’t have a folding bike to help me achieve them.

Many young people, including my own children, go through life with an Electric Brompton and many other advantages. This is something I never want to forget.

Having said that, please consider the ways you can help those from less advantaged backgrounds.

These include:

• Becoming a school governor
• Getting involved with your employer’s outreach
• Mentoring or tutoring pupils
• Organising work experience for these pupils
• Speaking at schools to provide motivation
• Sharing your experiences and insights
• Donating to social mobility charities