MP meets pupils to hail bank skills plan
SOUTHPORT MP John Pugh joined pupils from Presfield School in the Commons to celebrate the work of LifeSkills, a programme created by Barclays.
Launched in 2013, LifeSkills equips young people with the core employability skills they need to move into the workplace.
Delivered through educators or online, the programme helps to develop skills such as CV writing, interview skills, networking, problem solving, creativity, communication and managing online reputation.
At the reception, Mr Pugh had the opportunity to meet with teachers and pupils of Presfield High School and Specialist Col- lege to learn more about how the programme works and, most importantly, the impact it is having in the constituency.
“It gives young people who may start at a disadvantage real hope and confidence,” he said.
The reception was also attended by MPs and Peers from across the House, as well as senior representatives from Barclays, including Group CEO Jes Staley, LifeSkills Ambassador Baroness Brady CBE and members of the LifeSkills Youth Advisory Council.
Mr Pugh said: “We hear quite a few negative stories about banks, but it’s great to see a major bank like Barclays helping the local community with their LifeSkills programme.
“The work that has gone on at Presfield High has been fantastic and I was delighted to meet both Miss McKenna and Philip and Taylor to hear about how much they have enjoyed the scheme, and how beneficial it has been to them.”
Head of regional corporate relations for Barclays in the North West, David Bruce, commented: “Barclays have now reached over 3m young people with the LifeSkills programme since its launch in 2013, either through edu- cators or directly through our website.
“This is a massive achievement for the programme and shows that LifeSkills is continuing to grow at a monumental pace, positively affecting large numbers of young people throughout the UK.”