Unlocking skills and employment opportunities

– our future approach Looking forward –

Foreword What is LifeSkills? The issues Lessons learnt
our future strategy

Unlocking skills and

employment opportunities
– our future approach

1
Unlocking skills and employment opportunities
– our future approach Looking forward –
Foreword What is LifeSkills? The issues Lessons learnt
our future strategy

Foreword
For a decade now, at Barclays we feel incredibly proud of our The centre of our mission is to ensure we create a lasting,
LifeSkills Programme, its scale and the impact that has been positive impact in the communities where we live and work to
delivered in schools and communities. With its continuous build a stronger and more inclusive economy that’s better for
expansion, LifeSkills has given millions of participants across everyone. We do this by helping individuals unlock the skills
the UK and beyond the support to build vital employability and and employment opportunities they need to progress now
financial skills with tangible results seen in people’s personal and in the future.
motivation and self‑confidence.
As we look ahead to the future of LifeSkills, our core objective
This remarkable journey would not have been possible alone. remains to drive change through individual empowerment and
It has been built on the foundations of partnerships and economic vitality. Going forward, we are pivoting our strategy
collaboration with respected charities, the education sector, – we are putting socio-economic inclusion at the heart of it to
the business community, and Barclays colleagues who give help those that would otherwise get left behind.
their time, skills and expertise to volunteer to help others.
This report sets out the future direction of the LifeSkills
The success of LifeSkills is a true testament to the power of
programme. Learning from all the data and insights we
collective effort driven by a shared purpose.
have gained from our journey so far, we are excited to see
Over the past ten years, LifeSkills has grown and evolved, the positive impact this new approach will make across
reflecting the changes in society. From its roots supporting communities in the UK, and believe that by simultaneously
young people in secondary school in the UK, it has developed supporting these audiences we can more effectively help
to reach both younger and older people. We focused the address social inequalities.
programme on overcoming the barriers to place people into
Kirstie Mackey OBE
work, and introduced specific interventions for young people
Head of Barclays LifeSkills
at school from a lower socio-economic background.
As the programme’s tenth anniversary approached, we
have taken a moment to pause and reflect on what has been
learnt and where we can make the greatest positive impact
in communities. We recognise that there is still much to
do. Social inequalities, which were exacerbated during the
pandemic, have continued to increase. The rising cost of
living has placed even greater pressure on underserved
communities, with 1 in 5 people living in poverty, rising to
more than a quarter (27%) among children under the age
of 181.

1
UK Poverty Statistics, 2020-21, Joseph Rowntree Foundation

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Unlocking skills and employment opportunities
– our future approach Looking forward –
Foreword What is LifeSkills? The issues Lessons learnt
our future strategy

What is LifeSkills?
Barclays LifeSkills aims to give people the Young people Young adults Adults and families
skills and confidence necessary for today’s
Providing free tools and lesson We support young adults through LifeSkills recognises the intrinsic
rapidly changing work environment. The
resources to develop employability tailored training with charity partners importance of family wellbeing and
programme has supported some of the UK’s
and money skills through a website, such as Street League and Springboard support to successful outcomes at
most underserved and underrepresented
educators working with young people to develop the skills, connections, and school and work for young people.
communities to tackle barriers they face
have 150+ hours of curriculum-linked opportunities to help them into work. There are a range of resources created
getting into and staying in work.
content for use in the classroom, and We source participants who have the for skills content to be delivered in a
Launched in 2013, when youth anyone over the age of 14 has tailored aptitude and attitude to get into work, home setting. This became especially
unemployment rates were high, and content to use independently or but who face challenges such as a lack of vital during the COVID-19 pandemic
research showed that young people lacked together as a family. experience, confidence, qualifications, and additional resources were designed
job-related abilities, Barclays sought to or have care responsibilities or to support home schooling.
LifeSkills is centred around core
find a solution to ensure that young people disabilities. We connect them with
transferable skills such as problem- The programme also has a suite of
were better equipped for work. Although employers in different industries who
solving and communication which can content aimed at addressing the range
youth unemployment rates have seen an are actively recruiting for motivated
transfer across to any job or industry, of employability needs adults have,
improvement in ten years, the programme and skilled workers.
as well as the practical elements of designed to be delivered by frontline
has continued to focus on how best to
applying for jobs from CV writing and These charities or other organisations workers or in small group settings.
support people to thrive.
interview techniques to networking, working with young adults or older A number of charity partnerships
LifeSkills, designed for all ages from young enterprise and managing money. adults also have free LifeSkills modules complemented this direction too,
people aged 7+ to adults and families, they can download to use one-to-one in parts using LifeSkills resources,
LifeSkills extends the reach of the
has supported millions of participants or in a group setting. but also delivering bespoke support
programme into schools and colleges
and placed thousands into work through programming to particular groups,
that meet specific socio-economic Where possible participants are placed
collaboration with the education including, individuals affected by
deprivation criteria through facilitated in high-growth sectors of retail and
sector, respected charities, and the cancer, carers, individuals impacted
sessions delivered by our charity customer service, construction and
business community. by redundancy aged over 50, and
partners The Talent Foundry and manufacturing, and healthcare.
second earners.
Business in the Community.
73% of young people said our financial
In 2020 we began partnering with Family
We are used in over 90% of schools tips helped them save money.1
Action to deliver LifeSkills in a small
in the UK, and with 90% of educators
number of holiday club settings.
rating LifeSkills resources very highly,
teachers are confident that these meet 78% thought the resources covered
current curriculum requirements. topics and situations they can
relate to2.
Students have improved their
awareness of their own strengths and
skills (91%), feel more motivated (87%),
1
Online survey conducted by
have higher aspirations (82%) and feel
The Work Foundation, 2015.
2
Chrysalis Research Evaluation of LifeSkills 2020 more positive about the future (88%)2.
and 2023.

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Unlocking skills and employment opportunities
– our future approach Looking forward –
Foreword What is LifeSkills? The issues Lessons learnt
our future strategy

The issues
The ongoing period of economic recovery following COVID-19 and the rising
cost of living have exacerbated the challenges faced by people from underserved
communities across the UK.
Those from lower socio-economic backgrounds Meanwhile, businesses across the country have been
in disadvantaged circumstances, including young grappling with the dual burden of rising costs and
people and children living in poverty, were hit hardest workforce shortages. In November 2022, over 13%
by the pandemic, and more likely to experience of businesses in the UK were experiencing a shortage
a combination of interlinked challenges, such as of workers, with those in the hospitality (35.5%) and
unemployment, poor skills, lower income, and a lack construction (20.7%) sectors most likely to report
of access to the digital economy and society. this. Small businesses in particular are struggling to
recruit employees with the relevant skills, with 80% of
In 2021, more than a quarter of children were living in
small firms reporting that they face difficulties hiring
poverty – with poverty rates highest among families
applicants with the suitable skill set.
with three or more children, and lone-parent families.
When the pandemic hit, families’ livelihoods were In this critical context, the need to build a skilled
increasingly put at risk with parents losing their workforce is more pressing than ever. Empowering
employment. Despite the furlough schemes allowing individuals to develop their aspirations and core
many people to keep their jobs, those from lower employability skills is not only essential for their
socio-economic backgrounds were more likely to personal advancement, but also for the growth of
be engaged in precarious work and were therefore our economy and businesses. This is coupled with
particularly exposed to job loss. the pace of change in the working world; automation,
AI and ambitions for net-zero which accelerate
The harsh economic climate in the past few years
the growing need to equip everyone with the core
has deepened disparities across the UK, with areas
transferable skills to navigate working life and ensure
in including London, the North East, the North
the social inequality gap does not widen.
West, West Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber
experiencing the highest levels of poverty. We recognise the challenges faced by people in
underserved communities, and understand that
Socio-economic disadvantage is also highly
their journey to secure quality employment may not
intersectional with other diversity characteristics.
be linear. We understand the complexity of families’
There are different communities in various parts of
financial circumstances, and believe that financial
the country that may experience poorer outcomes
inclusion is an essential part of the support needed.
due to other issues that compound the disadvantages
they face.

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Unlocking skills and employment opportunities
– our future approach Looking forward –
Foreword What is LifeSkills? The issues Lessons learnt
our future strategy

Lessons learnt
Over the last ten years of running the LifeSkills programme, we have learnt a great deal through independent research and evaluation
and by measuring impact. Against this backdrop of learns and the issues facing society, there are three areas that stand out which will
inform the way the programme develops:

Aspirations are a starting point

and a driver in developing a young
This student was 14 years old when his teachers
person’s employability selected him to take part in a LifeSkills intervention.
Staff felt that, whilst very capable, he was easily
Developing aspirations helps improve young people’s self- distracted and would often lose focus when studying.
esteem and gives them a more positive view of their future, He had little clarity about his next steps, after school.
whilst developing core transferable skills means that their Despite the programme delivery being disrupted
career aspirations are right for them, rather than being by the pandemic, he attended all the sessions and
influenced by stereotypes or people around them. LifeSkills learning, supported by Barclays colleagues
1. Early intervention with the right skills acting as mentors. His personal development,
The challenge around aspirations is more prevalent in
development can improve aspirations, young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, as their
aspirations, understanding of own strengths,
transferable and money skills was noted as often
especially where these might be limited aspirations are often low not only because they lack self- considerable and supported the student in feeling a
or poorly defined. belief and motivation to pursue a particular career path, but lot more confident and positive about his future. Staff
also because they lack awareness of the range and variety at school noticed improvements in his studies too
of careers. Particularly for households with generational with him being very focused and doing all his work.
Through our intervention programmes designed to unemployment, young people face difficulties finding and
support specific groups of young people, we have learnt settling on something that interests them. The LifeSkills
that undefined or poorly defined aspirations, coupled programme’s interventions aimed at elevating young
with a lack of core transferable skills, are at the centre of people’s aspirations can serve to compensate for a lack of
a young person not making a successful transition from social capital, supporting social mobility and helping create
school to work. This can lead to a wide range of short and long‑term change.
long-term issues including becoming disengaged at school
because they cannot see the relevance of their studies,
and feeling like they have failed, leading to a greater
likelihood of becoming not in education, employment or
training (NEET).

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Unlocking skills and employment opportunities
– our future approach Looking forward –
Foreword What is LifeSkills? The issues Lessons learnt
our future strategy

This grant has been a saving grace

and I can’t believe we had this level
of support. I genuinely feel like I can
Nathan was unfortunately homeless breathe again and focus. I want to
and had recently been released from go back into employment as I feel
prison. His Job Centre Work Coach, like I can do it and give back. For the
referral partner and Barclays’ charity longest time I felt lonely, invisible,
2. The importance of partner collaborated to help Nathan 3. A mixture of grants depressed and didn’t know where to
working with organisations find employment. He was supported and training is crucial turn. I couldn’t even think about my
with CV and interview preparation, own goals but this grant allowed me
who are right in the heart to improve wellbeing,
training courses as well as a voucher to do just that. It gave me hope and it
of the communities that for interview clothes. Nathan settled confidence and positivity gave me a break. Thank you.
they serve, enabling in well to his new employment and towards the future.
them to work closely with was subsequently promoted.

referral organisations and Programming and partnerships to We learnt that a mixture of grants and
local employers. support adults aged over 25 improve training is a critical component for families
their employability skills has been a part to have a more positive future, that work
of the LifeSkills programme since 2019. outcomes and measures of success are
We have learnt that to deliver the greatest With a lack of work experience being a Through the resources created and not one-size-fits-all, and that improving
impact, our partners need to have frequent barrier, the importance of our sessions delivered by frontline workers household wellbeing is essential to
excellent relationships with employers partners’ good quality links with local and others, we have adapted not only the enable progression.
that are recruiting in that community, employers and referral organisations materials used, but the settings and focus
Available reports demonstrate the
whilst simultaneously focussing on is critical in order to help beneficiaries of interventions.
compounding impact that increases in
how they show up in the community engage meaningfully, and set them on the
Existing, long-standing socio-economic energy and food costs have had upon
to engage with young adults. This dual path to success.
inequalities in the UK were exacerbated the lowest income households. Those
approach addresses both the demand
By working with organisations in the heart due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The who are Black or ethnically diverse, with
and supply side of the market in specific
of the communities that we are supporting Barclays COVID-19 Community Aid disabilities or in ill-health, families with
communities, and has helped us to deliver
means that partnerships are designed Package supported a large number of more children and those on insecure
greater impact.
with the individuals in mind, their specific charities across the country to address work are being disproportionately
challenges, experiences and barriers are at urgent needs and to test new models disadvantaged. Intersectionality between
the centre of the approach we take. of partnership delivery. Insight from these characteristics raises the likelihood
this time, as well as considering areas of of someone requiring support. As such,
particular need, informed a shift to place our partnerships focus delivery within
additional support in our programming these groups and in selected locations
for families. across the UK.

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Unlocking skills and employment opportunities
– our future approach Looking forward –
Foreword What is LifeSkills? The issues Lessons learnt
our future strategy

Looking forward – our future strategy

Interventions

From running interventions over the past decade,

we have learnt a lot about the knock-on effect
that poorly defined aspirations, a lack of core
employability skills and the added pressure of
household income can have on people’s employment
prospects. Our forward-looking strategy brings
together these learns and issues to inform our future.

Going forward, we want to help those that would otherwise

get left behind, and provide support where we can make Targeting underserved communities and
the greatest positive impact in communities.
addressing geographic disparities
While LifeSkills remains accessible to all through our
website, we are pivoting our focus for new investment for We are working with organisations who have relationships
those people in the UK’s most underserved communities with communities that have historically been underserved and
and underrepresented groups. underrepresented, with a particular focus on socio-economic All of our interventions will seek to reduce inequality
disadvantage. Our aspiration is to enable progression and gaps and improve the wellbeing of individuals
reduce identified inequality gaps. through supporting their aspirations for employment
Our goal is to tackle the barriers Recognising the regional disparities that underscore socio-
and opening up new opportunities.
preventing these groups from entering economic inequalities, we are making sure LifeSkills’ charity We believe that by simultaneously supporting these
and sustaining employment across partners are present in the most deprived areas of the UK. three audiences – young people 7+, young adults and
families – we can more effectively help address social
various industries We will deliver the programme across the UK, but with
inequalities. Insight tells us that a child’s life chances
additional investment in areas with higher levels of inequality
are intrinsically shaped by their home lives. So, by
including London, the North East, the North West, West
creating interventions to boost family income and
Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber.
reduce financial stress, our aim is to create a more
Our partnerships are designed to reach people from optimistic future.
low‑income families and ethnically diverse people, we will
target three audiences – young people (aged 7+), young adults
and families.

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Unlocking skills and employment opportunities
– our future approach Looking forward –
Foreword What is LifeSkills? The issues Lessons learnt
our future strategy

Working in partnership
We work with a variety of leading charities to support the UK’s most disadvantaged communities.
Here are three examples of some of our charities we are working with to support our three key audiences.

Young people Young adults Families

We will continue to work with educators and LifeSkills will work with partners who have For families, access to assistance with household
will further our support for young people who relationships with communities and can work closely income, alongside support to boost confidence
lack experience, are financially vulnerable or are with referral organisations and local employers, to and positivity towards the future, are crucial to
marginalised due to their ethnicity, disability, gender help young adults enter or re-enter the workforce. improving overall wellbeing. Through delivering
or other characteristics. This will provide them with tailored skills training for Barclays LifeSkills workshops and the provision of
those who face barriers getting into work and connect Learning Support Grants, we are helping families
In partnership with charities like The Talent Foundry,
them with employers who are recruiting, in sectors to meet basic household needs, build confidence
we will focus support on schools that meet specific
with skills shortages. One example is our partnership and develop the practical employability, digital and
socio-economic deprivation criteria, to ensure
with Street League, an organisation Barclays has financial skills needed to access jobs now and in the
young people receive support through the LifeSkills
worked with for nearly a decade. future. Financial inclusion is an essential part of our
programme at least four times to give them the
support, recognising the complexity of families’
confidence, skills, and knowledge they need Together we are helping 16 to 30-year-olds living in
financial circumstances.
to succeed. some of the UK’s most disadvantaged communities
using sport and education. The partnership includes We’ve had a relationship with the charity Family Action
These sessions will build on the evidence and
one-to-one coaching, as well as group sessions to since 2020, supporting thousands of people through
insight gained to deliver content aimed at improving
explore job preferences and employability skills to the pandemic and beyond. Our new, three-year
aspirations and core transferable skills, ensuring
help them overcome barriers that exclude them from partnership will reach a further 5,000 people and help
young people feel ready to take charge of shaping
securing a job. In 2023, our partnership has helped families to thrive. It will give people the opportunity
their future.
over 500 people into work. to unlock their potential and to gain the skills and
Over three years, The Talent Foundry will support confidence they need to increase their employability.
more than 43,000 young people across England.

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For more information or to tell us how you’ve used LifeSkills:
Visit barclayslifeskills.com
Email: [email protected]
facebook.com/YourLifeSkills
LifeSkills_Ed #yourlifeskills

Barclays Bank UK PLC. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct. Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (Financial Services Register No. 759676).
Registered in England. Registered no. 9740322 Registered Office: 1 Churchill Place, London E14 5HP.