Working in partnership with British Land, the Bright Lights programme helps young people take their first step onto the retail career ladder.

The five-week programme, based at Teesside Park, aims to give people aged 18-24 high-quality retail training, advice from industry experts and support with interviews and CV writing.

Those on the scheme will also gain valuable on-the-job experience through work placements with some of Teesside Park’s biggest brands, such as Nando’s, Boots, M&S and Asda. During these placements, individuals will learn how the business operates as well as build customer service skills, and they may also be offered interviews for permanent employment.

Bright Lights is part of a long-term partnership between British Land and Middlesbrough Football Club Foundation, which aims to support young people in developing their employability skills.

For more information on the Bright Lights programme, please email [email protected].

“The Bright Lights programme is something I look forward to every single year. This year has reminded me exactly why I’m so passionate about being part of it. Supporting young people as they take their first steps into the world of retail, hospitality and leisure is genuinely one of the most rewarding parts of my role," said Nicola Hopkins, Retail Manager at Teesside Park (second left on the back row of the above image).

"This year’s cohort has been an absolute pleasure to work with. From day one, they impressed me with their maturity, commitment and willingness to get involved. It’s rare to see such enthusiasm combined with consistency and watching them make the most of every opportunity has been incredibly inspiring."

Read below the first-hand experiences from some of our 2025 participants:

Molly

Molly, 19, joined the Bright Lights employability programme after struggling to find work. Although slightly nervous at first, Molly quickly settled in and engaged with both the course and the people on it.

She completed a placement at Boots, where she gained hands-on experience stacking shelves, greeting customers and helping on the shop floor. This helped her build valuable customer service skills and confidence when dealing with the public — experience she previously felt was holding her back.

“I’ve really enjoyed the programme. Everyone is really nice and the people who run the course are lovely. I especially enjoyed the placement, where I helped with stocking shelves, ordering new stock, keeping the shop floor clean and assisting customers.”

She would highly recommend the programme to other young people considering it in the future. Speaking about what she would say to them, Molly added: “You’re going to meet interesting people and lots of different characters. The free work experience is a really good part of it.”

Aiden

Aiden, 22, from Thornaby, joined the Bright Lights employability programme after a long period of applying for jobs with little success.

He explained, “I was applying for jobs and getting nowhere with it. I was going to my Jobcentre appointments, but to be honest, I was just in the house passing time away in bed. I thought the course was a good idea to get out, try and understand where I was going wrong with applications and socialise."

One standout session for him was meal preparation and budgeting, where he successfully created a three-course meal for under £10, boosting both his confidence and practical life skills.

Reflecting on his journey, Aiden believes the programme has had a significant impact. “To be completely honest, I’m a completely different man to what I was,” he said. “They tailor it to your needs to suit everyone — it’s brilliant,” he said. He also praised the support from Sarah and Matty at MFCF, adding: “They always have a listening ear.”

Nikola

Nikola Modzelan, 23, from Thornaby, moved to Teesside from Cumbria to study Computer Games Art and graduated in summer 2025. Despite having prior experience working in a restaurant and volunteering at a heritage site, she struggled to secure employment after university.

Nikola commented: “The main thing that made my eyes widen was the prospect of placements which could lead to real job opportunities. I was excited to come on a course that would have real opportunities.

Nikola describes MFCF as a valuable resource and praised the team for providing opportunities and showing participants how to access them. She feels the Bright Lights programme has boosted her confidence and given her a clearer understanding of the world of work as she plans her next steps.

Nikola concluded: “It’s shined a light on the grey areas of employment. I feel more prepared to talk to people and I can level with people I might previously have felt intimidated by.”

Mikey

Initially nervous about starting the programme and concerned he might be older than other participants, Mikey quickly found Bright Lights to be a positive and supportive environment. He developed new skills, grew in confidence and became a positive influence within the group, helping less confident peers to engage and get involved.

Mikey describes Bright Lights as: “An incredible opportunity for anybody from any background,” highlighting the support offered by staff: “Matty and Sarah have been really generous – they take really good care of us.”

He said: “My placement has been really engaging — I’ve really enjoyed it and I’ve excelled a lot. I think what I’ve managed to achieve is proving that the skills I have are good enough. I’ve gained quite a lot of confidence in myself, showing that I can do even the simpler jobs and the people at McDonald’s have been happy with me.”

“You come to a place like this and if you can put yourself out there and you can engage positively with people, there is a community and you can find it and they will support you.” As a result, Mikey now feels more confident, supported and optimistic about his future career.

Lexi

Lexi, 18, joined the Bright Lights employability programme after experiencing severe anxiety. She said: “I nearly didn’t come back after the first day, but I’m glad that I did.”

The supportive environment and encouragement from staff and other participants helped Lexi stay on the programme. Over time, Bright Lights gave her structure and routine, helping her manage her anxiety and motivating her to get out of bed each morning. “I was so anxious I wouldn’t get out of bed – Bright Lights gave me a reason to and Sarah and Matty from the programme rang me to make sure I was up each day,” she says.

With ongoing support from the MFCF team, Lexi slowly came out of her shell and began to feel more confident around others. “I don’t feel like I have to put a wall up anymore,” she says. Mock interviews were challenging at first but helped her feel more prepared and confident about future opportunities.

Lexi describes Bright Lights as a positive experience that has helped reduce her anxiety and boost her confidence. She would encourage others who feel anxious to take the first step, reassuring them that “Once you actually do it, it’s not as bad as you think it will be.”