BSkyB
Between May 2004 and July 2006 BSkyB and YouthNet provided 14-19 year-olds with vital information, advice and support via the Reach for the Sky website. During that time our partnership offered thousands of young visitors to the Reach for the Sky website support and guidance.
Our partnership
BSkyB's Reach for the Sky programme exists to support and inspire young people to reach their potential. Their award-winning Reach for the Sky website aims to do this by offering practical information and advice to 14-19 year olds. YouthNet worked in partnership with BSkyB between 2004 and 2006 to deliver a new area of the Reach for the Sky website, called Sorted!
Through Sorted!, BSkyB and YouthNet offered vital support to 14-19 year olds in communities across the UK. This was achieved by providing information and advice on the issues that are important to them, in a tone and style that they can understand and relate to. Topics covered by Sorted! included school life, home life, drugs and alcohol, sex, relationships, careers and money.
Working with YouthNet
Catherine Armstrong, Senior Community Investment Manager at BSkyB has been involved with YouthNet since our partnership began in 2004.
How would you describe YouthNet?
YouthNet has the buzz of a creative agency underpinned by the values of the voluntary sector. The organisation is forward thinking, energetic, and passionate about the difference it can make to young people's lives.
How has the partnership with YouthNet supported BSkyB's work with young people?
YouthNet's team of journalists create and write all Sorted! content specifically for Sky. They are experts in talking to young people in a language and style that they relate to and this has been crucial to the success of Sorted! This supports Sky's wider objective for its community programme, to engage young people in a way that is both inspiring and open.
Would BSkyB recommend YouthNet as a partner to other companies?
YouthNet is uniquely placed to reach young people and as such any company looking to support young people should consider talking to them. YouthNet is trusted and respected by its audience and the team are a pleasure to work with.
What's the best thing about working with YouthNet?
They have a passion to engage, inspire and support young people, combined with the technical knowledge and infrastructure that enables them to deliver their services in ways young people relate to.
Throughout the partnership YouthNet worked with the team at BSkyB to agree the areas of focus for the month ahead. Then, YouthNet's team of expert journalists developed bespoke factsheets and real life stories for the site. A secure and confidential question and answer service for Sorted! users complemented this information, enabling young people to ask sensitive and personal questions anonymously. We guaranteed that every Sorted! user who asked a question received personalised answers from our team of experts within three days.
Over the partnership thousands of young people regularly accessed support and advice on Sorted! and together, YouthNet and BSkyB informed and inspired 14-19 year-olds right across the UK.
BSkyB says:
"BSkyB chose to work with YouthNet as we recognise their expertise in providing safe and confidential information, support and advice to young people, delivered in the language, tone and style they understand and relate to."
Catherine Armstrong, Senior Community Investment Manager, BSkyB
A Sorted! user says:
"To me as a teenager, this part of the website is very helpful, and I'm sure other teenagers would agree. You can ask questions that maybe you wouldn't feel comfortable about asking someone face-to-face and you can discuss problems without having to admit your problem directly to somebody else."
Sorted! user, 17, from Merseyside