Breaking Barriers

Our Breaking Barriers programme enables young people who have barriers to education and employment to attend a world-class business school. It helps them achieve an accredited qualification and gain real work with some of Scotland’s highest profile corporate employers.

Since 2018, Breaking Barriers has been consistently providing young people with invaluable routes into employment. In recent years 90% of all our Breaking Barriers graduates have gone onto to secure employment or further education and training opportunities.

A winning partnership

Breaking Barriers is a ground-breaking partnership, enabling young people who have a learning disabilities the opportunity to attend one of the leading business schools in the UK, achieve an accredited qualification, and gain real work experience with some of the country's largest employers. 

Founded by Enable, the University of Strathclyde Business School, and ScottishPower, the flagship programme has now expanded to the University of Strathclyde's Faculty of Science, partnering with Balfour Beatty for its work placements, and Edinburgh Napier University, where students work with corporate partner, EY. The programme has also welcomed corporate partner, Dayforce. 

The pioneering initiative gives young people the opportunity to access the life-shaping experience of university and aims to create equality of access to the opportunities that educational institutions and partner organisations can provide.

The programme has been recognised with several awards:

• winner – Spotlight Award, Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards 2020

• winner – Widening Participation/Outreach Initiative of the Year, Times Higher Education Awards 2019

• winner – Youth Employment Award, The Herald Diversity Awards 2018

• finalist – Pioneering Project category, Scottish Charity Awards 2018

• shortlisted – Education Initiative of the Year, The Herald Society Awards 2018

It also supported University of Strathclyde to become University of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards 2019

“There is no programme which ScottishPower runs that delivers greater impact or that has given me more pleasure to support. Thank you to Enable and the University of Strathclyde Business School. Breaking Barriers – it does what it says!”

Keith Anderson, Chief Executive, ScottishPower

“Breaking Barriers is a pioneering
demonstration of the power of public,
private and social sector organisations
working in partnership to address societal
challenges. Ensuring we open opportunities
to everyone and do not exclude people
from realising their talent is essential not
only to being a truly diverse, equitable and
inclusive society, but also to our national
economic prosperity.”

Theresa Shearer, CEO, Enable

“As the ‘place of useful learning’, Strathclyde is committed to being socially progressive. This also means being inclusive and opening Higher Education to all, so we are delighted to be pioneering the Breaking Barriers initiative.”

Professor Sir Jim McDonald, principal and vice-chancellor, University of Strathclyde

“Programmes like Breaking Barriers show people what’s possible. They provide opportunity. It really brings to life what we mean by an inclusive community. One of our values at Edinburgh Napier University is inclusion and so I hope that others will see the types of programmes that we offer, the success of the students that come and the opportunities that are open to them in the future.”

Professor Andrea Nolan CBE
Principal & Vice Chancellor of Edinburgh Napier University