Financial education rolling out to youth clubs across Scotland

  • New partnership announced between Royal Bank of Scotland and YouthLink Scotland to rollout financial education, materials, activities and training to youth clubs across the country.
  • Launch event in Port Seton on Monday saw 23 young people aged 13-16 to take part in budgeting focused puzzles and games, with Olympic and Commonwealth Games Gold medallist Duncan Scott.

The Royal Bank of Scotland and YouthLink Scotland, the national agency for youth work, have today (23 September 2026) announced a new partnership to deliver financial education to Scotland’s young people in youth club settings. The new partnership, which will be delivered under the Royal Bank Thrive programme, will see learning materials being given to youth clubs and training delivered to youth leaders.

The partnership was launched at a morning event on Monday 21 September at the Port Seton Community Centre in East Lothian, with Olympic and Commonwealth Games swimming gold medallist Duncan Scott. Alongside the Scottish athlete, 23 young people aged 13-16 from the local area took part in puzzles and activities which aimed to build their money confidence and develop financial planning skills to help them in later life.

The rollout to youth clubs, builds on the work that Royal Bank Thrive already does in schools, by providing a wealth of bite-sized pieces of learning content from how to manage money to developing an entrepreneurial mindset. This content is provided to around 80% of Scotland’s schools across the country.

Royal Bank of Scotland was also the first bank to support Scottish Financial Enterprise’s pilot programme to ensure that no young person leaves school without a bank account and financial education. The Royal Bank also delivers financial education through Financial Foundations workshops to 100 adults in Scotland every week in the places in which they live, meet and work.

Duncan Scott said, “Engaging with sports teams and community clubs is a fantastic way to reach young people outside of schools and to get them thinking about money and responsibly planning their financial future. Having seen first-hand the materials and activities available to young people at the launch event, I think this partnership is a really exciting opportunity for teams and clubs across Scotland to build young people’s confidence.”

Petra Cameron, Director of Brand Partnerships & Thrive Programme, Royal Bank of Scotland, said, “Good financial education is essential for ensuring that young people make the best choices with their money as they move into further education, leave home and enter the world of work. We are delighted to partner with YouthLink Scotland as we bring Royal Bank Thrive materials and sessions to more young people in community club settings across the country. Building good money sense for the next generation matters, not just for individuals and families but for our broader economic future.”

Tim Frew, Chief Executive of YouthLink Scotland, said, “All young people should have opportunities to build the confidence and practical skills they need to manage their money and plan for the future. Through this partnership with the Royal Bank of Scotland, youth workers across the sector can get alongside young people and provide space for informal conversations about money that feel accessible, natural and relevant to their day-to-day lives.”