We throw ourselves into our work and plenty more besides. As well as giving time and expertise to our five chosen charities, we’ll hand you five days paid discretionary time every year to pursue your own deserving causes.
The House of St Barnabas
This Soho charity has been a life skills centre since closing its doors as a women’s hostel in 2005, gaining a new lease of life in 2009 by hooking up with Quintessentially to give work experience to people affected by homelessness. In the last five years, we’ve helped out with everything from IT support and workshop facilitation to programme development and trusteeship.
Pennies
This is an ingenious ‘electronic charity box’ that lets consumers make micro donations to charities through rounded-up card payments in selected retail outlets. The first few months have seen 320,000 donations bring in £75,000. Our contribution has included building a financial model, making some useful introductions and providing ad hoc advice.
Future First
Future First is an ambitious social business aiming to revolutionise careers advice in UK schools by bringing back former students to offer guidance and inspiration. So far they’ve built a successful model in nine London schools. With our help developing a sound growth strategy, they plan to move into more schools and use technology to engage more students in more ways.
UK Youth
The innovative non-formal education programmes developed and promoted by UK Youth have benefited 7,000 youth groups and helped 750,000 young people work towards their potential. We’re proud to help a charity that encourages young people to become involved citizens. Hence our comprehensive support, which includes strategy and programme management support, not to mention helping UK Youth become one of O2’s main UK charity partners.
The Lexi
All of the profits raised by this wonderful social enterprise cinema in Kensal Rise go to a sustainable social community for disadvantaged people in South Africa. We helped The Lexi clarify its vision, define its strategic objectives and develop the business model for its ‘Lexi Nomad’ mobile cinema joint venture.