6th February 2025 Place-based opportunities with M&G plc

The Skills for Life Rochdale programme, funded by M&G plc, has made a meaningful impact on its young participants by helping them reflect more deeply on their futures and providing them with practical skills to navigate the world of work. Through confidence-building activities, visits to local employers and the involvement of local volunteers, these young people have gained a clearer understanding of their goals and the opportunities available to them.

We spoke to two participants – Sarah and Lucy, six months after its completion, and it was clear that the programme has had a lasting impact on their approach to learning, their outlook, and their confidence.

Sarah shared how the programme broadened her perspective and made her think about different career paths. "It’s made me think about my future a lot more... It just made me think a lot more in detail of what I want to do," she told us.

Lucy echoed these feelings, saying, "It’s just improved my mentality on how to go about things."

Both participants felt that the programme had opened their minds to new possibilities.

It’s given me the confidence to be more outgoing... that little extra nudge to do a bit better.

The power of volunteers

One of the most influential aspects of the programme for both Sarah and Lucy was the involvement of volunteers from local industries. This was consistent with the results of our post-programme survey, where 95% of students agreed that working with volunteers and mentors was a real benefit.

Sarah and Lucy were particularly struck by the personal stories shared by these professionals. "The volunteers were quite nice to hear from... some of the things they overcame and where they came from...you think you can do anything if they can," Sarah said.

Hearing about these success stories, especially from people who had risen from humble beginnings, challenged their assumptions.

Lucy reflected, "If you think of a successful business owner, well, I used to think it means they come from a good background, but it just proved that wrong... I learnt how you could come from the worst beginnings and still make a good life."

The friendly, informal atmosphere created by the facilitators and volunteers was also a highlight. Sarah mentioned how different it felt from a typical school setting, saying, "There wasn’t quite that authority between teacher and student. It felt more relaxed and friendly.

Lucy appreciated how the volunteers shared their personal journeys, explaining how they overcame challenges to succeed: The volunteers stepped back a bit and said, ‘actually, I wasn’t always like this... I started from this and became this with a lot of hard work and determination.’

This relaxed environment made activities like interview preparation more effective. Lucy remarked, "It makes you think of what you actually want to say and not panic... it was a massive confidence boost," while Sarah agreed, I think the interview prep is probably one of the biggest helps.

Lasting confidence

Across Rochdale and Middlesbrough, teachers have noticed improvements in students’ attendance, behaviour, and attitudes toward learning following the programme.

Some students even saw a reduction in suspensions, while others went on to secure work experience placements at the Police Cadets and Fire Cadets.

As one teacher commented, This programme has completely raised the aspirations and transformed the outlook of the students involved."

The Skills for Life programme continues to make a significant difference, helping young people see their potential and move forward with renewed confidence.

This programme won a Bronze award for Community Engagement at the Corporate Engagement Awards 2024.

Student names have been changed throughout.

Read more stories from our full annual report and financial statements for the past year here.