Burberry Blazes New Trails in Youth Empowerment - Mission

Burberry Blazes New Trails in Youth Empowerment

By Bianca Jortner.

Burberry and The Outward Bound Trust partner to transform Britain’s landscape into dynamic learning environments, offering adventurous outdoor activities to inspire U.K. youth.

Luxury brand Burberry announced a ground-breaking relationship with The Outward Bound Trust, a top outdoor education charity in the U.K., in a daring blend of design and philanthropy. This partnership, announced May 2, 2024, represents a substantial extension of Burberry’s dedication to youth development. It seeks to empower and inspire young people through thrilling outdoor experiences.

The program, part of the larger Burberry Inspire program, will give secondary school children, ages 10 to 18, access to the well-known outdoor challenges offered by The Outward Bound Trust at a minimum cost to their families. It grants young people the platform to explore outside their comfort zones to provide them with better futures. The program focuses on areas inextricably related to Burberry’s history: London, Leeds, Castleford, and Keighley.

To promote personal development, participants will partake in a range of activities such as hiking, canoeing, abseiling, and overnight adventures. These tasks are thoughtfully designed to foster curiosity, resilience, and life skills in youth, preparing them to confidently take on obstacles in the future. The creative participation of Burberry workers is what distinguishes this program – employees will have the chance to serve as mentors, offering advice and encouragement to the young participants as they embark on their journeys. This innovative method not only improves the educational experience for the students but also encourages personal and professional growth among Burberry employees.

Burberry and The Outward Bound Trust have a shared history of providing equipment to explorers and adventurers, which is the foundation of their cooperation. Burberry’s waterproof fabric, gabardine, was formerly used to dress pioneers such as Ernest Shackleton on his pioneering journeys. In a similar vein, The Outward Bound Trust has a long history of assisting young sailors in becoming ready for life at sea. These combined legacies are currently being used to convert Britain’s abundant landscapes into engaging outdoor learning environments.

In 2024, five outdoor challenges will be supported by the collaboration. The first challenge was held in March in Ullswater in the Lake District. Penrith, Cumbria, and Aberdovey in Eryri/Snowdonia are the destinations of upcoming expeditions. These expeditions are expected to provide participants with various engaging experiences.

The Burberry Inspire program, which seeks to provide changes for over 500,000 young people worldwide over the next three years, has this partnership as a cornerstone. Beyond outdoor education, the program’s aim includes business, sports, design, and artistic endeavors in addition to employment preparation through creativity-driven participation.

The brands rich Yorkshire background is closely linked to its dedication to youth empowerment. Burberry has a strong presence in the area thanks to its Business Services headquarters in Leeds, mill in Keighley, and production facility in Castleford, where their recognizable Heritage Trench Coats are made. This new program works to fortify these connections while also making investments in the future of the communities where it is implemented.

Established in 1941 with the aim of preparing young lives endangered by World War II, The Outward Bound Trust has expanded to run six sites throughout the United Kingdom, positively influencing the lives of 25,000 youth each year. By partnering with Burberry, the Trust broadens its influence and reaffirms its mission to provide outdoor education to everyone, regardless of financial situation and circumstance. 

This collaboration establishes a new benchmark for corporate philanthropy at a time when the fashion industry is seeking more and more to link itself with social responsibility. Burberry is reinventing what it means to be a socially conscious fashion house in the twenty-first century by fusing its luxury brand ethos with real, life-changing experiences for young people.

Images courtesy of Burberry.