We have announced our first wave of Development Awards for young people supported by The Prince’s Trust

Celebrating ten years in business, we are proud to be supporting The Prince’s Trust which will see young participants in Northern Ireland being granted Development Awards to help them to reach their full potential and pursue their passion. The Awards aim to help young people overcome financial barriers that might otherwise prevent them from accessing education, training or employment.

With a goal of funding ten Development Awards over the next two years, the first wave of funding will help six young people cover the cost of course fees, tools or equipment to help them achieve their goals. Our Director Riki Neill, has also committed to becoming a mentor with the charity.

When speaking about the relationship, Riki adds: “Over the past decade, RNN has provided job roles and opportunities for many team members, helping them to grow and fulfil their potential. In addition to creating epic campaigns, enriching the lives of others is super important to the team, and to me personally.

“Delivering award-winning, stellar work for clients is a given but that’s not enough. We’ve given to many charities over the years, supported numerous CSR campaigns, and provided pro bono support and consultancy, but to mark RNN’s ten-year anniversary, we really want to make a tangible difference to others. This is where the incredible work of The Prince’s Trust comes in.

“By funding Development Awards, we can specifically help to encourage others to follow their passion and foster the ambition and spark that we’re fortunate enough to enjoy every day at RNN.”

Adding her thoughts, Suzie McFarland, Youth Development Lead at The Prince’s Trust says: “Our Development Awards play a key part in helping young people take their passions further, leading to purpose, employment, training and more opportunities. This partnership with RNN will make a real difference to young people in Northern Ireland who are facing financial barriers. We are also delighted to have Riki’s support in our ambition to enable young people to live, learn, and earn.”

Riki adds: “Since day one, my focus has been on building a creative, positive and progressive agency culture. Marking ten years, I’m so honoured that both my first and second team members, Jolene Kelly and Jill McLernon, have grown and flourished with the business, and today, both Jolene and Jill play key roles in the success and growth of RNN.

“Our wider team includes some truly special and talented team members, and it’s our collective efforts that have ensured it’s been such a successful decade in business with so much more to come. We’re excited about growth, about our clients and new services, and what the future holds, and we’re focused on progress.”

The Prince’s Trust in Northern Ireland supports thousands of young people each year into jobs, education and training. The charity believes that every young person should have the chance to succeed, no matter what their background or the challenges they are facing. The Trust helps those aged 11-30 to build the confidence and skills to live, learn and earn.