Schroders partners with Key4Life to address youth-reoffending and improve futures

Schroders is proud to confirm that it has partnered with Key4Life for the second consecutive year to help transform the futures of some of the most marginalised young people in our society through life-changing programmes.

01/04/2021

Schroders is proud to confirm that it has partnered with Key4Lifefor the second consecutive yearto help transform the futures of some of the most marginalised young people in our society through life-changing programmes.

In line with our corporate responsibility framework of improving futures in our communities, this partnership aims to reduce inequalities and tackle social mobility.

Key4Life is an innovative crime prevention charity. Its mission is to reduce youth reoffending through the delivery of two innovative rehabilitation programmes to young men in prison and those at risk of going to prison.

Schroders has committed to supporting Key4Life's programmes which are aimed at supporting the transition into employment and the development of new work and life skills. These include mentoring, three-day work experience opportunities and regular support workshops, held at Schroders' London headquarters.

Since its inception in 2011, Key4Life has had a powerful impact. Only 16% of participants in its programme have re-offended, compared to the national rate of 64% one-year following release. Key4Life has also supported 60% of offenders in its programmes into employment and meaningful occupations, versus the national average of 15% of young offenders entering employment.

To date Key4Life have completed over 20 programmes and reached over 4,000 children in prisons and communities across London and the South West. Their success is underpinned by their ongoing focus on offering long-term guidance and support.

As a key corporate partner, Schroders' goal is to help address the barriers that are currently preventing disaffected young people from employment, and offer practical solutions to build their skills and empower them to achieve their goals.

Richard Keers, Chief Financial Officer, Schroders commented:

'Key4Life has changed the lives of so many young people who have otherwise been ostracised from not only our communities, but our businesses as well. We hope that this partnership will help to address the challenges that these young people face when it comes to employment and education to have a meaningful and lasting impact on their futures.

'At Schroders our core objective is to improve futures. This applies to our clients, our employees and the wider societies and planet in which we operate. We firmly believe that corporate organisations have an important role to play in driving the positive change that we want to see.

'Our partnership with Key4Life is a reflection of our commitment to be part of the solution, and we look forward to working with Key4Life to inspire and support these young people at a time when they need our support the most.

'At Schroders, our charity partnerships underpin our ambition of improving futures and through them we tackle the issues we feel strongly about, including improving social mobility, breaking down barriers to education and employment, and supporting mental health.'

Richard recently participated in an insightful panel event hosted by Schroders and Key4Life, where we discussed overcoming adversity during Covid, the transformational impact that employment offers, and why it's important that corporates recast their hiring lens to support ex-offenders.

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