M&S celebrates 20 years of employability initiative

Marks & Spencer is celebrating two decades of its Marks & Start programme, in partnership with employment charity The Kings Trust.

Over the past 20 years, the programme has supported 30,000 people, including 12,000 young people facing employment challenges to enter the job market.

New research by the heritage British retailer has revealed that two thirds of young people still face barriers to employment, with mental health being the most common. According to the data, one in three find this a challenge.

The retailer is over a year into its partnership with youth mental health charity YoungMinds, which has raised £2.6 million to support young people, with a target to raise £5 million within three years.

Marks & Spencer CEO Stuart Machin, who started his own career at 16 in his local supermarket, is championing collaboration in order to remove the barriers faced by those struggling to find employment.

He said: “As one of the UK’s biggest retail employers, it's our responsibility to help young people into work – especially those furthest from employment who might need extra support. But we can’t do it alone; that’s why we partner with The King’s Trust and Young Minds, brilliant organisations that really understand the help young people need.”

“The success of Marks and Start over twenty years shows the difference that partnership can make - together with The King's Trust we've helped 12,000 young people into work and in doing so, changed thousands of lives. Too many young people in the UK face barriers to getting a job, but if we work together, we can change that.”

Jonathan Townsend, CEO at The King’s Trust, said: “We rely on partners like M&S who invest in young people and create accessible routes to employment, helping us to achieve our mission of building the confidence and skills of young people who need us most.  M&S have been a driving force behind our employability initiatives and we are so proud of our long-standing partnership, celebrating 20 years together to support 12,000 young people. With their pioneering approach and embedding our work across their organisation, we are able to remove employability barriers for thousands of young people helping to transform their futures."

Umay Nadeem, Marks & Start participant said: “Battling poor mental health since childhood, and coming to terms with being neurodivergent, added barriers to everyday tasks, such as job interviews that seemed impossible. But the Marks & Start scheme offered the support I didn’t even know I needed. The confidence-building, and care helped me understand my worth. Marks & Start isn’t just an employability programme — it’s a lifeline. It’s not giving young people a job, it’s giving young people the chance to change their lives, find their purpose, and contribute to society.”

Laura Bunt, Chief Executive at YoungMinds, said: “M&S’ research echoes what we know about young people struggling with their mental health and the barriers they face when it comes to work. Young people are experiencing multiple pressures, including poverty, inequality, intense academic pressure and the online world and the lack of early mental health support means they’re becoming more unwell. Through our partnership with M&S, we will continue breaking down barriers to show young people they’re not alone with their mental health, providing vital guidance and advice, and reaching more young people.”