Alison Rose

NatWest and Marcus Rashford are working together to co-create a programme designed to support young people in communities across the UK to learn about and develop a positive relationship with money. The programme will connect them with role models with shared lived experiences that can mentor and inspire success and help them achieve their goals.

After three months of speaking and listening to community and youth leaders, and consulting with Marcus, together, NatWest and Marcus will seek to reach young people where they are and pilot the programme in select youth clubs in Manchester and London this Easter, to inform a national roll-out.

Marcus Rashford said: “When I approached NatWest with the idea of collaboration, I was assured very quickly that I would always have a voice at the table. It wasn’t enough for me to simply put my name and face to an existing programme, we needed to get out into underserved communities and understand if the programme was really being delivered as effectively as it could be.

“My mum was one of the best people I had ever seen managing money, because she had to be, but the word ‘money’ was always met with stress and anxiety in the household. I wasn’t comfortable discussing it in any environment, especially not at school, and we had to travel out of our community to find the nearest bank branch. Most of us dealt in cash.

“Having carried out insight sessions across the UK in the last couple of months it become obvious that my experience was not a rarity. Children are fearful of talking about money. We’ve put a strong focus on listening, educating ourselves, and better understanding sensitivity with delivery so that every child can thrive and get excited about their futures, regardless of where they are growing up. We need to break down boundaries, particularly where it relates to the perception of a bank and who they are catering for and engage these children through creative programming that they can relate to.”

Alison Rose, CEO, NatWest Group, added: “We want children to build and get excited about their futures and we want to break down barriers, particularly where it relates to their perceptions of a bank and who we cater for. We’re privileged to have Marcus share his passion and purpose with us to create real long-term impact.”