As part of its Inclusive Leadership programme, Barclays partnered with grassroots charity United African Association (UAA) to tackle real operational challenges through hands-on collaboration.
The result:Meaningful learning on both sides, practical progress for the charity, and stronger inclusive leadership skills across the business.
The challenge
Barclays set out to create a leadership experience that felt real, not theoretical. The aim was to give colleagues the chance to build inclusive leadership skills by working side by side with charity leaders facing genuine organisational challenges.
UAA, based in Northampton, supports African communities across education, health and housing. Like many small charities, it was juggling a big mission with limited capacity. Volunteer coordination and internal workflows were placing real pressure on the team.
The collaboration
UAA was matched with a team of Barclays professionals from different departments and roles.
Over 12 weeks, they worked together to:
Get under the skin of the charity’s day-to-day realities
Identify ways to streamline how volunteers and staff work together
Co-design practical fixes that would save time and build clarity
Pilotlight designed and facilitated the programme, creating the structure for honest, focused collaboration, with clear roles, shared learning and high expectations on both sides.
Key outcomes
For United African Association
The charity left the programme with:
A clearer volunteer structure that lightened the load on staff
Digital tools to simplify communication and project planning
Volunteers leading key workstreams, freeing up leadership time
Improved balance and energy across the organisation
“The Inclusive Leadership programme enabled us to restructure how we run certain aspects of our organisation, implement time-saving processes and make better use of staff and volunteers. It’s given us a better work-life balance.”
- Anne Wankiiri, CEO, UAA
For Barclays
Now in its fourth year, Inclusive Leadership is a key offering for colleague volunteering which supports Barclays’ Citizenship strategy. The programme offers a practical, human way to build leadership skills in a setting that matters.
Participants report:
Clearer insight into the realities faced by charity leaders
A shift in how they approach inclusion, collaboration and problem-solving
A stronger sense of purpose in their professional growth
And the impact is being felt across the business:
100% of participants report satisfaction with the experience
68% of participants say the programme has changed how they lead
Internal demand continues to grow
The programme is seen as a standout development opportunity
Programme satisfaction reported by Barclay’s participants
Of participants said the programme changed how they lead.
“This wasn’t a training course. It was a chance to practise leadership in a completely different context and learn directly from someone whose experiences are very different to mine. It’s been one of the most valuable professional experiences I’ve had.” - Barclays programme participant
Mutual learning
UAA gained practical tools and renewed focus. Barclays colleagues tested their leadership in real time and built new skills through shared experience.
Everyone left with a sharper perspective and a deeper understanding of what leadership can look like and who gets to lead.
Wrap-up
Above all, Inclusive Leadership is a space for purpose, partnership and progress. Together, Barclays and Pilotlight are helping to shape the leaders we need across sectors, backgrounds and communities.
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