NBCUniversal’s Creative Impact Lab is the destination for nonprofit storytelling. The Lab provides grants to nonprofit creative agencies to produce marketing assets for other nonprofit organizations to tell their stories. This project aimed to support The King’s Trust to reach 16 to 30-year-olds during its “back to school” campaign, a peak window for youth recruitment, using social assets to increase the nonprofit's brand awareness.
The King’s Trust (formerly The Prince’s Trust before changing its name in October 2024) is a national youth employment charity that supports 11 to 30-year-olds (overall demo; campaign focused on 16+ for social) to remove barriers to enable them to develop essential skills and confidence to find a job or start a business.
This campaign was produced through the Lab by London Screen Academy Level 4 students, who received creative guidance from NBCUniversal storytelling experts. The young creators produced a suite of social media assets for The King’s Trust aimed at addressing current challenges that the organization was facing including:
Lack of familiarity with the work that the organization does and the courses it offers
A difficulty breaking through with young people to build awareness of the support it can offer
A lack of funding for marketing efforts
A difficult and competitive fundraising environment in which it’s hard to stand out
The London Screen Academy (LSA) is a free sixth form academy that provides education and programming for young people who are passionate about film and TV.
Over the span of three months, LSA met regularly with The King’s Trust and its NBCU mentors to plan the project, generate a creative concept, and eventually execute a video shoot to complement a broader brand campaign, “Next Steps,” which runs across the summer following exam results season, to inspire young people to connect with the organization and to learn how it can help them achieve their future goals. LSA students worked in tandem with The King’s Trust team to determine the most impactful storytelling approach for the campaign. The student team learned about analyzing audience behaviors on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook to optimize video formats, lengths, and messaging. This approach ensured that each asset would be engaging and accessible, maximizing its potential reach and impact.
The filming happened at The King’s Trust facilities in London, where LSA students led the creative process with guidance from NBCU staff. Students assumed key production roles—including directing, lighting, sound, post-production editing and simple motion graphics—gaining invaluable hands-on industry experience. Each of the nine assets was crafted to feel organic and relatable, reflecting the real experiences of young people navigating their futures. The team prioritized natural, unscripted conversations to maintain authenticity, while careful editing enhanced clarity and engagement—without losing the raw emotional power of the testimonies.
In collaboration with The King’s Trust, LSA decided to center the slate of social assets—various formats suitable for TikTok, Facebook and Instagram placements—around key messaging points that highlight the unique support that The King’s Trust provides to young people. The pieces focused on mental health (how it impacts young people personally and professionally); social media (finding connections and managing comparisons); “dream jobs” (understanding young people’s ambitions, and how where they live makes a difference to the opportunities available); and starting a business—all relevant talking points connected with The Trust’s Next Steps campaign—with links to its courses. By working with Young Ambassadors (Trust alumni) from across the country (e.g., London, Birmingham, Wales), the assets had the maximum relevance and appeal needed to resonate with and encourage current community members as well as those who may be unfamiliar with The Trust’s offerings.
One of the main challenges was ensuring that each asset balanced emotional storytelling with clear, actionable messaging about The King’s Trust’s support services. To address this, the team researched scripts and interview techniques, and produced different drafts of their questions to refine the messaging through feedback from mentors and The King’s Trust representatives. By blending documentary-style storytelling with a platform-specific approach, LSA created a suite of assets that not only elevated The King’s Trust’s brand presence but also spoke authentically to a generation navigating their next steps. The project exemplifies how emerging talent can drive meaningful, real-world impact through storytelling and social media innovation.
The King’s Trust received evergreen social assets that further supported its outreach goals and helped address its funding concerns. This fresh and well-produced content advanced The Trust’s social media marketing efforts all-year round, as it was able to repurpose around other news hooks such as World Mental Health Day.
The assets reached 273,566 people (91% higher vs. Trust benchmarks) and generated 260,053 views (44% higher). In addition to this, the videos were liked 2,032 times and prompted 136 engagements (94% higher).
What sets this project apart is the direct involvement of young creatives producing content for young audiences. The LSA apprentices were able to get hands-on learning experience and increased confidence in their abilities as emerging content creators. This impact cannot yet be measured with stats, but this strengthening of the creative pipeline is another key benefit of NBCUniversal’s Creative Impact Lab. Take a look at how two LSA apprentices have progressed:
Maci-Skye Anthony:
Currently completing an Apprenticeship for the BBC, while working part time as a videography and content producer
On February 12, 2025, Maci was selected to produce an Instagram Reel for a visit by HRH Prince William to LSA. Maci worked with the Kensington Palace social media team and the final product was posted on the Prince & Princess of Wales official account, alongside LSA’s account. Reaching over 16 million followers. https://www.instagram.com/p/DGAx_BNNIof/
Scarlett Jolly:
Completed a traineeship with Working Title in 2024
Is now working freelance in Production on an upcoming Warner Bros. Discovery Series (Harry Potter)