Barclays Set Up Youth Schemes

Barclays Spaces for Sports has teamed up with Children’s charity Wooden Spoon, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and Enterprise Education Trust to launch a series of eight-week training schemes for ‘at risk’ youngsters.

Young people excluded from mainstream education will get the chance to get their lives back on track through the rugby-based initiative.

FairPlay, supported by Barclays Spaces for Sports, comprises of a series of rugby training schemes throughout the country aimed at changing the attitudes, enthusiasm and lives of more than 2,400 ‘at risk’ youngsters.

The project will deliver 120 intensive eight-week schemes across England, combining both physical rugby training and classroom learning including life, enterprise and financial skills.

Barclays Spaces for Sports is a community sports programme which has created 200 sustainable sports sites in the UK in partnership with the Football Foundation. It was extended globally in 2008, with further sites and projects established in South Africa, the United States, UK, Spain and Zambia.

The coaching programme will be delivered by RFU Community Coaches, who have developed relationships with youth offending teams and local rugby clubs in their areas during an initial ‘Try for Life’ pilot funded by Wooden Spoon.

Barclays will also support training young people in how to look after their finances, as part of the Barclays Money Skills initiative.

Barclays Spaces for Sports is part of Barclays global community programme which invested more than £50m across more than 30 countries in 2008.