Life-changing opportunities for young people through sport

"Giving each young person the support to achieve their ambitions"

Set for Success is expanding to 30 locations across the UK - including the London Boroughs of Merton and Wandsworth, where the All England Lawn Tennis Club is located - thanks in part to additional investment from Barclays.

The programme will reach 150 schools and engage up to 3,900 young people over the next four years. Pupils will have access to the Set for Success Employability Toolkit, and the programme will leverage Barclays LifeSkills - the bank's initiative dedicated to giving people the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to succeed in work. Students will also get opportunities to attend annual empowerment events to connect with local employers and visit the home of The Championships, Wimbledon.

"Following the huge success of the pilot, we're delighted to extend the programme with Barclays' support," says Murphy. "We're looking forward to engaging even more young people and helping inspire them to achieve their goals."

The enthusiasm within the bank is mutual. The topic has long been close to the heart of Kirstie Mackey OBE, Managing Director for Citizenship across the UK and Europe, who created and launched Barclays LifeSkills in 2013 - a programme that has since helped millions of young people prepare for the world of work.

Judo champion Tom Davis, with students at a Set for Success event. Image credit: ©AELTC/Ben Queenborough.

Mackey says she is proud to see Barclays partner with the Wimbledon Foundation and Youth Sport Trust on Set for Success: "I'm excited to see how, together, we can continue to build on the success of the pilot and support even more young people with skills training, personal development and building self-confidence, particularly in more deprived areas - ultimately giving each young person the support to achieve their ambitions."

To add to the excitement of Set for Success, a number of students and supporting teachers currently taking part in the programme will be invited by Barclays to The Championships 2023, Wimbledon - where they'll celebrate their own achievements and watch the tennis action unfold on Centre Court.

I'm excited to see how, together, we can support even more young people with skills training, personal development and building self-confidence.

Kirstie Mackey OBE

Managing Director, Barclays Citizenship, UK and Europe