Confidence, ambition and career skills are back on the table for a group of young people graduating this week from Thrive Forward Intensive. A bold, five-week programme funded by Market Harborough Building Society (MHBS), the project helps 16–24 year-olds break free from a rising tide of youth unemployment and growing mental health challenges, and take control of their future.

The programme, funded by MHBS through its £250,000 Thrive Forward Fund, was created to support young people in South Leicestershire and North Northants, aged 16–24 who are currently Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).

Developed in partnership with local Job Centres, the five-week course delivers intensive face-to-face training focused on employability skills, financial literacy, entrepreneurship and mental health at a time when an estimated 850,000 young people in the UK aged 16-24 are classified as NEET.

“This has changed my life,” said one Thrive graduate. “Before Thrive, I didn’t know where to start. With the help of Thrive, I’ve not only grown in confidence, but secured a brand new warehouse job in a factory, which I started today!”

This Wednesday 3rd December, the latest cohort (only the second since it launched) will mark the end of the programme with a graduation ceremony—a powerful celebration of progress, with participants reflecting on the journey they’ve taken and the skills they’ve gained.

Front and centre will be Thrive Forward’s Community Ambassador, Kheron Gilpin—a national boxing champion who now works with young people on confidence, focus and resilience.

Gilpin will present certificates, speak to graduates, and share his own journey from adversity to achievement.

“These young people have had to overcome so much,” says Gilpin. “They’ve faced low expectations, setbacks, anxiety, and pressure. Now they’re standing taller, knowing they have the right to succeed. Thrive Forward is here to support them—and I’m proud to be part of it.”

The Thrive Forward Intensive course is delivered by expert charity partners: Mind, Young Enterprise, Spiral Skills and Wize Up Financial Education—ensuring each week offers hands-on learning in the key areas young people need most.

With more cohorts planned across the region in the coming months, Thrive Forward Intensive is proving that with the right backing, young people can move from stuck to self-starting in just five weeks. For MHBS, it’s not just a programme—it’s a promise to invest in potential and help the next generation take its first confident steps into the future.