SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME CHANGES YOUNG LIVES IN SALFORD

90% of participating young people now understand what they want to do for a career. 

The Rio Ferdinand Foundation and The Guinness Partnership celebrate a year of creating opportunities for young people, following a successful 12 months of their skills and progression community programme. The programme, which benefits from the support of Construction Companies Wates and Kier, and low carbon energy provider EQUANS, was launched in March 2022 and has been well received by communities in Oldham, Salford, and the London Borough of Lambeth. 

The skills-based initiative engages young people aged under 25 years old and living in a Guinness home in a six-month skills-based programme. The young people participate in a weekly schedule of activities to tackle youth unemployment, develop young people's skills, and raise aspirations.  

Matthew, aged 19, from Royton, Oldham, completed the programme and then was supported to apply to the Guinness Aspire Awards to request funding to purchase camera and lighting equipment to help him start a small local photography business.  

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"This has been an amazing opportunity and has given me a chance to get back on the right path. I know what I want to do now and can't wait to start. This programme has helped me hugely, and I would recommend that other people in my position get involved with it in the future."  

The aspiration-raising programme has achieved a 90% increase in participant health and well-being, giving participants the confidence to explore opportunities. 100% reported feeling more confident since the start of the programme, with many pursuing opportunities with local businesses and Rio Ferdinand Foundation partners Warner Music, Kiss FM, The Jockey Club, and the Gym Group. 

Year two of the partnership programme will be entirely youth-led and will see The Guinness Partnership and Rio Ferdinand Foundation initiative extend further across Greater Manchester and into the London Boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth.  

Rio Ferdinand, Founder of The Rio Ferdinand Foundation said: 

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“The Rio Ferdinand Foundation is committed to working with young people at the heart of their communities to offer support, training, and opportunities to those that need it. Housing providers are a key part of communities and can help embed our work in a wider structure of support for their tenants and the residents in their areas. As such the opportunity to engage with the Guinness Partnership has provided a great boost to our reach and our work in both Greater Manchester and Lambeth.”

Alistair Smyth, The Guinness Partnership's Director of External Affairs and Social Investment said:

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"We are delighted that the first year of our partnership with the Rio Ferdinand Foundation has been such a great success. The programme has helped create opportunities for young people to improve their lives, and to help them progress along their chosen career path. We look forward to continuing to work with all of our partners, to achieve even greater success in the future.”