Barclays Street League volunteering
Employee volunteering is an essential part of Street League’s Academy programme. It allows young people to engage with professionals, gaining knowledge, skills and advice that directly helps them on their journey into work.
We have a national partnership with Barclays LifeSkills which is focused on supporting young people into work and engaging their colleagues in regular volunteering opportunities at our local Academies and at Barclays offices. Street League has also embedded Barclays LifeSkills workshops into our programme curriculum, equipping young people with essential core employability, digital and financial skills to help them successfully navigate their working lives.
Over the past 12 months in Glasgow, Nathalie Cutting (High Growth Entrepreneurs Business Manager) and Nicole Wright (Operations Graduate) have been volunteering with Street League regularly.
Across our North and East Glasgow Academy programmes, they have delivered Barclays LifeSkills workshops to young people including budgeting and money management, CV writing, interview skills and mock interviews.
They have also been involved in the sports sessions, which reinforce essential skills such as teamwork, communication and leadership in activities such as football and handball.
Nathalie and Nicole have hosted Street League participants in Barclays’ Glasgow campus, providing first-hand experience of a professional setting and what life would be like in a call centre.
As part of the tour, young people are given a name badge on arrival and are given a look at all campus buildings, helping break down preconceived ideas of what it would be like to work in an office environment. The visits include an insight into various employment opportunities on offer throughout the campus, such as their cafés, the gaming centre and the podcast suite. Visits to the campus typically take place once per quarter and this is always a programme highlight for many of our participants.
Whilst these opportunities provide young people with skills and expertise from professionals, they also inspire our young people about other people’s journeys into work and help motivate them into new careers they might not have thought of or had access to without the support of Street League or Barclays LifeSkills.
WHAT OUR STREET LEAGUE STAFF HAVE TO SAY
Omar (Operations Manager)
It's been a fantastic opportunity for our young people to take part in Barclays LifeSkills workshops run by Nathalie and Nicole. Their guidance and expertise have not only equipped our participants with valuable skills but have also inspired them to pursue their goals with confidence and enthusiasm.
Alison (Progressions Co-ordinator)
The LifeSkills sessions at Street League venues and Barclays have been great for the young people. Following the CV workshop, a few of my young people took away some great tips and information from it, and it has helped many secure a new job.
Ashley (Progressions Co-ordinator)
All sessions have been really good. It’s a good way to have the participants think about skills and qualities in a different way. Overall, there has been great interaction from young people, and we’re very grateful for these opportunities.
Natalie Cutting, High Growth Entrepreneurs Business Manager at Barclays
Supporting Street League has been so much fun, the team are great and the young people are always engaging and receptive to our sessions. What we love the most is being able to bring people into the conversation from across the bank and share stories about pathways and careers.
Nicole Wright, Operations Graduate at Barclays
“It has been a pleasure working with Street League, every session Nathalie and I have hosted the young people have really come out of their comfort zones and stepped up to the challenge. Additionally, the sessions we have hosted would not have been possible without the support of the wonderful Street League mentors. Overall, a fantastic organisation doing extremely meaningful work.”