LifeSkills launched in April 2013 with the aim of helping young people get a better start in our community. Taking advantage of their position as one of the few organisations that has roots in many different sections of society, Barclays wanted to show their change in attitude by clearly leveraging this power for good, with a clearly demonstrable benefit.

Research showed that being work-ready makes a huge difference. Young people who have skills training – such as CV writing or work experience – earn on average up to 18 per cent more than those without.

The programme drew together 4 key audience groups – teachers who help pupils start their journey, the businesses that give them their first jobs, parents who want the best for their kids and the young people themselves – providing them a path to get on in their own way and achieve whatever success meant to them.

Now in it’s second year, LifeSkills is City and Guilds accredited, is growing to cover more key stages and is widening it reach through partnerships with other organisations with the same ambitions – National Careers Week, the Department of Work and Pensions, the Job Centre.

Since April 2013, 338846 young people have engaged with LifeSkills and 4,502 schools registered. 545 businesses have become part of the scheme and 6651 work experience placements have been offered.

David Cameron has given his seal of approval to the project, writing to Andy Brent (Barclays Head of Marketing) to express his support.

Together Barclays and the agency created a new brand, LifeSkills and the website launched in April 2013. It’s fully responsive allowing young people to complete it’s online learning modules wherever they are.

We focused relentlessly on immediate value: practical curriculum supporting content starting with choosing careers continuing through to managing your first paycheck, downloadable teaching resources, volunteers to help teach, local work experience placements search, Barclays Business Managers encouraging their customers to take young people on.

Right from the start, we had LifeSkills ambassadors: Jameela Jamil and Karen Brady – all public figures our young people could look up to and that also embodied the values of the project.

Given the emphasis on showing, not saying, we launched with ‘Win Work Experience of a Lifetime’ Facebook competition, closely followed by Barclays LifeSkills Work Week, where every day on ITN, we followed two kids as they took part in their first work experience placements.

Great earned press coverage, alongside carefully chosen media partnerships and an ATL campaign has delivered great results.

We’re on track to meet our target of reaching 1 million young people by the end of 2015.

? 338846 young people reached since April 2013 (taking part in lessons, registered on the website, taught by volunteers)

? 42,954 young people registered on the website

? 265,050 modules taught in schools

? 130,000 Facebook page followers and 6,886 twitter followers

? 4,502 schools registered

? 545 registered businesses and 6651 work experience placements offered

Plus

• One letter from David Cameron to Andy Brent (Barclays Head of Marketing) to congratulate him on the project.

• City and Guilds accreditation