This year, the Standard Chartered Great City Race will return under very different circumstances. Thousands of City workers, along with new participants from across the world, will reunite as they complete our annual 5km event – this time, from home.

While the format of the 2020 race has changed, one thing that has not altered is our support for Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, a global initiative to tackle inequality and promote greater economic inclusion for young people. We are thrilled to say that £5 from each entry to the race will be donated to Futuremakers, and be used to empower the next generation to learn, earn and grow.

Why run for Futuremakers?

Globally, more than 200 million young people are either unemployed or live in poverty due to low income. In the wake of Covid-19, young people – particularly those from underserved communities – are likely to be even more greatly affected by economic and educational inequality.

Standard Chartered believes that everyone should be able to access the opportunities that help them to realise their full potential. That's why all money raised for Futuremakers from this year’s Standard Chartered Great City Race will be used to fund education, employability and entrepreneurship programmes for disadvantaged young people around the world. With the 2019 event raising over USD60k for Futuremakers, we now want to build on this success to ensure that more young people can access these programmes and develop the skills they need to navigate the challenges ahead.

Going for Goal

In September 2019, Standard Chartered launched its first Futuremakers programme, Goal, in the UK. Goal is Futuremakers’ flagship education programme which helps young girls to reach their full potential and become economic leaders within their families, schools and communities. Delivered through the medium of sports and a play-based methodology, Goal has already supported girls in schools across London and Liverpool.

Briony's story

Goal participant, Briony, is a year 11 student based in Liverpool who was looking to overcome her barriers; one of these being low confidence. In particular, Briony felt uncomfortable answering questions and demonstrating role play in tasks that were given to her. She was looking to gain confidence and improve her communication skills.

The Goal lessons were created to help shape and bring to life the skills and qualities that Briony wanted to address. Goal’s local project coordinator, Holly, provides Briony with one-to-one support and delivers a curriculum that includes lessons such as, leadership, communication, non-verbal communication, gender, learning to say no and being under pressure. Some of which included friendship building and personal development.

On starting the Goal programme Briony was very quiet, however she engaged well with some students on the programme. During the first term of the programme delivery, Briony and three other girls from the Goal programme were invited to a match at the Anfield Stadium to take part in a half-time activity on the pitch in front of 54,000 spectators. With the support of Holly, Briony had to overcome her nerves to take part in the opportunity. This boosted her self-confidence and has resulted in increased participation in the Goal sessions. The following Goal session, she was extremely positive and enjoyed the experience as she said it will help her to relax when she faces new challenges.

In addition to the Goal sessions, Briony also remains physically active by taking part in football and P.E. sessions. Briony hopes to successfully complete her GSCEs whilst gaining valuable life skills through the Goal programme.

Briony has been able to complete all sessions to her full potential and has shown a vast and positive development in a short period of time. “The Goal programme helped me understand how to gain the confidence to read clearly to a large group of people and got me thinking about how other people feel when they come out of their comfort zone... If I never started Goal programme, I wouldn’t have gained the opportunities and skills I have now,” she said.