About
Our story
Through our work at Avenir Network, we kept seeing the same pattern: organisations were fixing their structures, but the people inside them were left to navigate the psychological and professional fallout of change alone.
We realised that a top‑down consultancy, however thoughtful, was not enough. It could redesign culture and strategy, but it could not, on its own, give an individual who had just been made redundant the confidence, skills and community they needed to move forward.
Avenir Pathways™ was created to complete that picture. Where Avenir Network partners with organisations to shape the future of work from the inside, Avenir Pathways walks alongside the people most affected by that change – especially those in the mid‑career “messy middle” who are too often left out of traditional outplacement support.
Our work across the Avenir Group now runs in both directions: helping organisations lead change more responsibly, and helping individuals turn redundancy into a powerful turning point rather than a permanent setback.
Our belief
The world of work is changing fast, and people are being left behind more than ever before. Redundancy now shows up as a predictable moment in many careers, but the support around people has not kept pace.
We believe everyone deserves a fair reset, not just those with savings, connections or confidence. Redundancy should not erase identity; it should open a new chapter.
Our mission
Our mission is simple: we help people reset with clarity, confidence and capability, and re‑enter the workforce stronger than they left it.
Because underrepresented communities are more likely to be hit by redundancy and underemployment, we commit that at least 51% of participants in every cohort will be from underrepresented groups.
We design our outreach, selection and partnerships to make that mission real.
Our approach: Reset. Re‑equip. Reboot.
Reset – identity, confidence and direction.
We create psychologically safe spaces for people to process redundancy, rediscover strengths and rewrite their career story.
Re‑equip – skills, AI readiness and the future of work.
We focus on practical, hands‑on learning in AI, digital tools and transferable skills that employers need now and next.
Reboot – practical tools to re‑enter the workforce.
We help participants apply what they learn through sharper CVs and LinkedIn profiles, targeted applications, interview preparation and a 90‑day plan.
What makes us different
- Grounded in behavioural science and human‑led design.
- Built specifically for the “messy middle” of the career ladder.
- Focused on AI and the future of work, not just today’s vacancies.
- Designed with inclusion at the core, not as an afterthought.
Our team
Avenir Pathways is led by a team with deep experience in social impact, future‑of‑work strategy and inclusive leadership.
Dinah Williams (She/Her)
Founder & CEO
Dinah is a Future of Work Strategist & Behavioural Science Lead. Architect of the Avenir Ecosystem. She founded Avenir Pathways to close the mid‑career support gap for people most at risk of being left behind by redundancy and AI‑driven change, and brings experience spanning global organisations, creative industries and social innovation.
Toren Williams (She/Her)
Founder & CEO
Toren leads our impact strategy, partnerships and learning agenda. Toren ensures Avenir’s programmes are grounded in evidence, designed with equity in mind and measured against clear outcomes for participants, employers and funders. Toren’s background spans social impact, research and programme design focused on inclusion and workforce resilience.
Our board
Our board provides governance, strategic challenge and lived experience from across media, professional services, and social impact.
Audrey Lartey (She/Her)
Board Member, Strategy, Equity & Technology
Audrey is an independent non‑executive director and strategic marketing advisor who brings systems‑level insight into how technology and leadership decisions shape progression, equity and opportunity at work.
Ella McWilliam (She/Her)
Board Member, PR, Brand & Community
Ella is a Co‑Founder and Co‑CEO of Full Fat, a multi‑award‑winning culture communications agency, and brings deep expertise in culture‑first PR, brand building and inclusive community‑led storytelling.
