Member updates

28 September 2022 Beam, a social impact startup supporting homeless people and refugees into stable jobs and homes, has been named one of the UK’s top 15 startups by LinkedIn. Other companies on LinkedIn’s 2022 list include Monzo, Revolut, Multiverse and Octopus Energy. LinkedIn’s prestigious annual list, now in its sixth year, features 15 UK companies that are rising to the challenges of the moment and continuing to innovate and gain attention in 2022. Launched in 2017, Beam uses crowdfunding to remove the financial barriers facing homeless people and refugees. It then matches them with forward-thinking landlords and employers like Arriva, Bupa and Pret. Last month, the company reached a milestone of supporting 1,000 people into stable jobs and homes.  Beam’s 70-person team is headquartered in Hoxton, East London but operates in England, Scotland and Wales with ambitions to operate globally. Alex Stephany, Founder & CEO of Beam, said: “Over the past 12 months, the Beam team has more than doubled in size and continues to attract talent from the world’s best startups and scaleups looking to use their skills to accomplish truly meaningful work. Beam’s goal is to become the most positively impactful company in the world, and redefine the positive role that business can and should play in society. Being named by LinkedIn as one of the UK’s top 15 startups is an exciting validation that we’re on the right track.”  LinkedIn Top Startups leverages exclusive LinkedIn data focused on member actions on the platform, including employment growth, engagement with the company and its current employees, job interest, and attraction of top talent. More information on this year’s winners can be found here. beam.org

Greater Manchester based pop-up TV studio and newsroom Media Cubs has worked with their biggest number of children yet - more than 750 new young people in the six-week summer holidays - transforming them into 'mini reporters' to increase confidence, skills and aspirations.  A total of 154 children were asked about their experience of the Media Cubs workshops: 93% said they had learned something new, 88% felt more confident after taking part, 84% said they felt their views and opinions are important, 78% said they were happy to speak in front of others and 59% said they think they could work in a TV studio or newsroom.  Kirsty Day, co-founder of Media Cubs and project lead, said: “First and foremost, we want all the children we work with during the holidays to have lots of fun, which is why they took on new challenges this year from stop motion to creating their own adverts and interviewing sports stars and authors.   “And as a result of a diverse set of activities we were able to support them to grow in confidence, which has taken a big knock during the pandemic, and increase their skill set and understand that their views and opinions matter – which is reflected in the survey results.  “It is also important to us to work with young people to increase their aspirations and giving them an understanding that they can grow up to be anything they want to be by having a taste of what a newsroom and TV studio entails, where previously it may have felt out of their reach. We believe that children from all backgrounds have a place in the newsroom and should feel confident that their views matter and voices will be heard.  "Feedback from young people included “I got my lack of confidence up”, “I was able to share my feelings” and “I never thought I would get to interview a sports star” - and that is what makes Media Cubs so valuable. “750 children is the highest number we have worked with in the space of six weeks and we want to continue to grow these numbers across Greater Manchester to help more young people broadcast confidence. And we have some exciting new projects coming up in Autumn to strengthen that aim.”  As well as the data from the survey, the children were also asked what they enjoyed most about working with Media Cubs and some of the highlights included trying out new things and sharing their ideas, working with the cameras, making films, creating stop motion animations, presenting and interviewing sports stars and authors. Media Cubs worked across five boroughs - Salford, Wigan, Bolton, Trafford, Stockport - and expanded the providers that they teamed up with too, including Wigan Warriors Community Foundation, Wigan Athletic Community Trust, Sale Sharks, Foundation 92, Stockport Life Leisure, Salford Life Centre, Lancashire Cricket Club, Manchester City Council, Wigan Council, and many more. If you would like to learn more about Media Cubs please visit their website: https://www.mediacubs.co.uk/

Charity Bank, the loans and savings bank for charities and social enterprises, has signed up to the Diversity Forum Manifesto, reaffirming its commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). Created by The Diversity Forum, a network with a mission to improve inclusion in the UK Social Investment sector, the Manifesto sets out 7 clear commitments that organisations are required to report on annually alongside 10 suggested initial implementing actions. The 7 EDI commitments ensure organisations are taking ownership of their EDI, creating meaningful collaborations, building an inclusive culture, being open and transparent, investing in equitable representation, engaging in sustainable inclusion, and advocating for marginalised voices. As part of their commitment, Charity Bank is joining the Diversity Champions Network which regularly meets to review best practice in the sector reviewing recruitment, training, and overall culture. The Champions network plays a crucial role in collecting data and sharing best practice relating to diversity and inclusion from across the social impact sector, helping to support the mission of the Diversity Forum. Charity Bank becomes the 12th organisation to sign the new Manifesto after its launch in January 2022. The Manifesto 2.0 was developed with the support of the Diversity Forum Steering Group and representatives from the Diversity Champions network. The Diversity Forum is funded by the Connect Fund, a joint fund supported by the barrow Cadbury Trust and Access – The Foundation for Social Investment. Other organisations that have signed up so far include; UnLtd, The Key Fund, Social Investment Business, Big Issue Invest, Access, Big Society Capital, Social Tech Trust, Social Investment Scotland, Co-operative and Community Finance, Architectural Heritage Fund, Resonance, Bristol and Bath Regional Capital and the School for Social Entrepreneurs. Ed Siegel, CEO of Charity Bank said “We’re proud to have signed the Diversity Forum Manifesto which reaffirms our commitment to improving Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion through our investing activities as well as our own day-to-day operations, employment practices and working culture. The 7 commitments outlined by the Manifesto will help challenge our whole organisation, empowering us to improve and work collaboratively towards a more inclusive future. We hope that more organisations will join us and the other Manifesto signatories in our efforts to rectify the longstanding disadvantage experienced by systemically excluded and underfunded groups.” Amir Rizwan, Chair of The Diversity Forum said “We are absolutely delighted that Charity Bank has signed the new Diversity Manifesto that we launched earlier this year and taking us to a total of 15 social investment signatories to date.” “The leadership shown by Charity Bank and its commitment to holding itself accountable to diversity, equality, and inclusion is much welcomed and we are looking forward to working with them over the coming months and years as they start their journey to become a more diverse and equitable organisation. Also, we hope that this signals to others in the sector that have not yet signed up to the new Diversity Manifesto to explore how they can join us on this journey.” About Charity Bank Charity Bank is the loans and savings bank for charities, social enterprises and people who want to make the world a better place. It uses its savers’ money to provide much needed loans to UK organisations working to drive positive social change – bringing benefits for people, communities, and the environment. Since 2002, Charity Bank has made more than 1,100 loans totalling over £400m to housing, education, social care, community, and other social purpose organisations. Charity Bank is owned by social purpose organisations and aims to use its expertise, commitment, and flexible approach to lending, to help charities and social enterprises get the support and funding they need. www.CharityBank.org About The Diversity Forum The Diversity Forum is a collective on a mission to drive inclusive social investment in the UK. We do this by commissioning research, sharing knowledge, and convening sector-wide groups to discuss equity, equality, diversity and inclusion in depth. The Diversity Forum is led by the Steering Group made up of representatives from across the social investment sector, including our Chair, Amir Rizwan. The Forum also has a Champions network of employees working within a number of social investment organisations who have a passion for EDI or are in an EDI related role, including EDI leads from organisations who have signed the Manifesto. The Champions network meets quarterly at present with the addition of one-off events and training as required or suggested by those within the network. In addition, the Diversity Forum holds monthly online events on topical EDI issues that are available on our YouTube channel here. We also have a monthly newsletter to promote diversity awareness and celebration days and recent updates within the sector. We commission research including our notable Inclusive Impact report on the diversity of UK social investment sector in 2018. Finally, the Diversity Forum are proud to be actively engaged in collaborating with EDI partners from across the sector, including EIIP, EquallyOurs and Addressing Imbalance.

Members of the public can now donate to Ukrainian refugees looking for stable jobs and homes in the UK, thanks to a new service from Tech for Good social enterprise start-up Beam.  Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees are set to benefit from Beam’s platform, which uses crowdfunding to remove financial obstacles to starting work or moving into a home. The news comes amid reports that 1,300 Ukrainian refugees face homelessness in the UK, just six months after the start of the war.  Through Beam, members of the public can now fund job training, childcare, laptops, smartphones, travel costs and rental deposits for Ukrainian refugees resettling in the UK. They can also send messages of encouragement through the platform, becoming part of their new support network in the UK.  100 per cent of donations fund the items refugees need to get a career or home. Beam also provides a dedicated caseworker and matches them with jobs at companies including Arriva, Bupa, Pret and Securitas, as well as stable housing through a network of ethical landlords.  Kateryna from Kyiv The first person to benefit is a 33-year-old single mother from the Kyiv region in Ukraine, who fled to the UK with her young son. Before arriving, Kateryna was working as an English teacher and had dreams of becoming an interpreter.  After escaping to the UK through Poland, she’s now living with a host family in Enfield, North London. With Beam’s support, she fundraised £1,683 from 63 strangers to pay for a diploma, travel costs and work clothes. She has since landed a job working in administration for a medical centre in central London. On her days off, she works part-time as an interpreter while also studying for her diploma. She said: “My purpose was to become independent, like I was before the war happened. I’m now an administrator at a medical centre. I’m really happy to have this opportunity to grow. Thank you from all my heart.” Alex Stephany, founder and CEO of Beam said: “Over the past six months, we’ve seen a huge desire from the British public to support refugees coming over from Ukraine. We’re now pooling that community spirit into Beam, where you can quickly donate and send encouraging messages to Ukrainian refugees resettling in the UK. We’re excited to bring Beam’s technology to hundreds of refugees and empower them to secure stable jobs and housing for the long-term.” Launched in 2017, Beam has already supported over 1,000 homeless people into jobs and homes. Now, with a growing number of Ukrainian refugees becoming homeless, the start-up is looking to make another huge positive impact by using tech to help refugees access jobs and homes.  About Beam Launched in 2017, Beam is a tech for good social enterprise creating equality of opportunity at scale. Working in partnership with registered charities and local authorities, Beam is helping hundreds of homeless people and refugees to gain work in sectors facing critical skills shortages, and move into stable housing. Beam has amassed a giving base of more than 25,000 supporters, who between them have donated over £3.4m to support 1000+ people into stable jobs and homes.  beam.org

On Purpose, an organisation that develops a new generation of leaders to drive transformational change, has now helped over 800 people transition to impact-driven careers. Founded in London in 2010, On Purpose works towards a world in which organisations put purpose before profit, thereby creating an economy that serves everyone, whilst regenerating the planet. To make this happen, the social enterprise believes a fundamental shift is required, led by people who transform the organisations in which they work. On Purpose helps develop these leaders and increases the capacity of all sectors to move to a regenerative future through its Associate Programme. Now run in London, Paris and Berlin, the one-year, full-time programme for high-potential mid-career talent, brings together two six-month purpose-driven and paid work placements in a wide range of organisations, alongside half day a week of training, fortnightly mentoring, and quarterly coaching. The impact the Associate Programme has had on participants as well as the organisations they work in during and after the programme, has been significant. After completing the programme, 95% of Associates said they were more confident leading change. Fellows have gone on to take roles in all parts of the system, including a former Geography Teacher now the CEO of Hubbub, a former Consultant now Managing Director of Divine Chocolate, and a former Marketer at Google, now Head of Europe for Terra.Do. Some Fellows also go on to start up organisations, such as Breadwinners, the award-winning social enterprise, which supports refugees and young people seeking asylum into employment through artisan baked goods. Furthermore, as of July 2022, On Purpose London has worked with more than 200 purpose-driven organisations in the UK alone and has built a community of over 1000 people. On Purpose Founder and CEO Tom Rippin said: “Ultimately, the economy will change when organisations change, and organisation change when people change. We are changing people one at a time. Wherever our On Purpose Fellows choose to continue their careers after the programme, they will continue learning, they will change the organisations they work in, and they will "infect" others with the ideas of a transformed future they carry within themselves.” Applications for the April 2023 cohort of the On Purpose Associate Programme are opening soon. Register your interest and be the first to know when applications open in September. onpurpose.org

Glasgow families struggling with rising living costs are to be offered additional support to purchase essential white goods through a new pilot programme delivered by social enterprise ethical lender, Fair for You.  Up to 1,000 households in the Glasgow postcode area will be able to shop for new Whirlpool appliances, such as washing machines, fridge-freezers and cookers, on new flexible, affordable credit terms. The programme has been set up in response to the cost of living crisis, with Fair for You on a mission to help low-income families avoid high cost credit or the hardship of living without essential household items.  The pilot is backed by a £350,000 funding package from responsible finance provider, Social Investment Scotland (SIS), and will be trialled in the city before potentially being rolled out to other Scottish postcode areas.  Bespoke eligibility criteria have been outlined for the initiative to reach families with young children and those with other caring responsibilities – for instance, customers must be over 21 years old and have dependents – and applications will be assessed on a case-by-case using a combination of open banking and credit checks. Open banking allows the ethical lender to get a broader view of the affordability of a loan which enables them to accept applications from people who are declined elsewhere.  Last year, Fair for You received almost 10,000 credit applications from families in Scotland with almost half looking for help to purchase household appliances where average loans were around £350.  Moira Berry is a single parent living in Drumchapel with her four sons and purchased a new washing machine through Fair for You earlier this year. Moira is not able to work because of health issues including fibromyalgia, a syndrome causing pain all over the body. She said: "I've used Fair for You for a number of years, the last thing I bought was a washing machine - I've also bought furniture and other things. Their products arrive really quickly, and they let you choose how you want to pay back, they don't put you under pressure and they don't want you to get into debt. As a single parent on benefits with a bad credit rating, I'm not sure where I'd turn if it wasn't for Fair for You - people like me just get refused if you try to buy things on finance elsewhere."  Fair for You was set up as a community interest company in 2016 as an alternative to high-cost lending and aims to support people who might not be able to apply for credit through traditional channels.  Emma Goodwin, deputy CEO and CFO of Fair for You, said: “Scotland has a complex and expensive debt recovery system which can create real headaches for families struggling to make ends meet, and make them ineligible for further credit from other lenders. If someone’s fridge or washing machine packs in, we want to help them to solve that problem, rather than seeing them go without fresh food or clean clothes. High-cost, predatory lenders shouldn’t be the only option available to families in need and we know that ethical, affordable credit can have a big impact in the community.  “We’re kicking off the new pilot scheme with support from SIS and hope it will make a real difference to Glasgow families while the costs of essentials like food, fuel and energy continue to rise.”  Chris Jamieson, head of investments at Social Investment Scotland, added: “Fair for You plays an important role in helping low-income families access the funding they need for essential household items, without having to turn to high-cost loans. Fair for You has identified significant demand for its products in Scotland and we’re pleased to support this pilot programme in Glasgow, which will hopefully lead to further support for families in other towns and cities too.” fairforyou.co.uk socialinvestmentscotland.com

An impressive 145 past and present athletes supported by the UK’s largest independent athlete support programme will be competing at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham. The supported athletes taking part in a variety of different sports - including athletics, boxing, netball, para-athletics, swimming, para table tennis and triathlon. The GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) is the UK’s largest independent athlete support programme which is designed to give young talented athletes a range of funding, access to sports facilities and athlete support services. The GSF work in partnership with SportsAid, SportsAid Wales and the Mary Peters Trust in Northern Ireland as well as numerous sporting, medical and local authority partners. In 2022 over 1,500 talented athletes are being funded by the GSF, of which an 87% receive no other centralised or independent funding or assistance. The GSF support has provided a lifeline to the athletes and an inspiration to other young people in local communities particularly as sport training and competition emerges from the Covid pandemic.  They also provide a support network for a growing number of talented athletes heading to national and international competition. Greenwich athlete Darryl Neita, 25 is one of the supported athletes.  She said: "It’s fantastic to be supported by GSF for another year, as I have been backed by the Foundation for many years it is a great help in my journey - I would not be where I am today without the help of GSF. “It’s so special that GSF has been a part of my career all these years especially this year as there is a home championships.  It means the world to have the support". Paralympic athlete Simon Lawson, 40, of Allerdale, competes in the wheelchair marathon.  He said: “I’m really excited to compete in Birmingham for this year’s Commonwealth Games and try and improve on my last Commonwealth Games Bronze medal!  “It’s a great honour to represent our country - especially in a home Games!  A lot of work and preparation has gone into my training for this event, with a big special thanks to GSF for financial support and training facilities/gym memberships – it’s a huge help in my programme.” Peter Bundey, GSF Chair, paid tribute to the GSF athlete award holders heading to Birmingham: “We are proud to be supporting so many talented athletes that will be competing for their countries in the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. “They exemplify the very best of our communities and embody the spirit of our social enterprise philosophy and I wish them the very best of luck. “I want to thank our sponsors, partners and supporters for helping give these athletes a welcome boost and allowing them to continue the richly diverse sports they love and excel in.” Welsh GSF award recipient Calum Jarvis, 29, who trains in Bath competes in the men’s freestyle swimming.  He said: "Thank you for all your support going into the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. It's an absolute privilege to be representing Wales a third time. Especially with it being a stone's throw from Wales. “GLL support will allow me to get the equipment and nutrition needed for me to perform at another level for the Commonwealth Games”. Anna Hursey who trains in Cardiff and competes in Table Tennis said: “I am thankful for support from The GLL Sport Foundation, it helps me to be able to train and compete internationally, which is needed for me to develop and compete at tournaments like The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham ". The GSF is the brain-child of GLL, the UK’s largest charitable social enterprise delivering sport, leisure, culture, health and community facilities. Charitable social enterprise GLL operates 260 sport and leisure facilities across the UK in partnership with 42 local authorities and sporting bodies. These venues span the UK with presence in Belfast, Cardiff, London, Manchester and large parts of England from Carlisle to Cornwall. GLL managed centres operate under the consumer brand ‘Better’, each one offers leisure, fitness and wellbeing – with gym, swim, classes, courts and pitches to enjoy, indoors and out – or family fun during summer staycations at lidos, trampoline parks and watersport centres. ENDS About GLL GLL manages 260 sports venues, leisure centres, gyms and pools under the ‘Better’ brandin partnershipwith nearly 50 local authorities and sports bodies.  GLL operates the world class venues in the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority – including the VeloPark in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park which is celebrating ‘10 Years On’ since the London 2012 Games. The Lee Valley VeloPark will also host track and para track cycling competitions as part of Birmingham 2022. gll.org About GSF In 2022, 1,523 talented young athletes from England, Wales and Northern Ireland will benefit from a cumulative £700,000 worth of memberships for sports venues and leisure centres, cash bursaries and other athlete services - thanks to leisure charitable social enterprise, GLL. Athletes are supported through the GLL Sport Foundation, (GSF) the largest independent athlete support programme in the UK, which in 2022 marks its 14th year of supporting both emerging and established national sporting talent. While GSF focuses mainly on supporting young and upcoming grassroots athletes in the local community, many have gone on to success in major competitions.  Award holders past and present include Tom Daley, Ellie Simmonds, Susie Rogers, Michael McKillop, Dina Asher-Smith and Charlotte Worthington. The athlete awards cover Olympic, Paralympic, Deaflympic, Special Olympic and Commonwealth sporting disciplines.     With a staggering 87% of award recipients receiving no other sport funding and 56% of recipients being aged under 21, the GLL Sport Foundation has highlighted a vital funding gap for young talented athletes and the need to tackle inequalities in sport; a significant number of award recipients have confirmed that this funding is essential to their journey and some could not continue without it. gllsportfoundation.org

July the 1st 2022 saw Leading Lives mark its 10-year anniversary as an employee-owned social enterprise, with a combined birthday celebration and awards event in Bury St Edmunds.  It also acknowledged the contribution of Tony Carr, who retires as Managing Director after 41 years in the Suffolk care sector. Leading Lives has grown significantly since it was established as an employee-owned social enterprise in 2012 and is now an award-winning social enterprise that delivers innovative high-quality care services to over a thousand people, with an annual turnover that has increased to £10.7m. Social care provision includes 24 hr supported housing, overnight stays to give family carers a break, bespoke 1-1 care in the community and in people’s homes across Suffolk.  Their community hubs provide a range of skills development and leisure activities as part of a county wide daytime, evening, and weekend offer. They have an expanding offer bespoke to young people with learning disabilities and autistic people 13-25yrs that is grant funded by Activities Unlimited. They have embraced new ways of working and used technology to support people during the pandemic through their Digital Lifeline Project, which won Innovative Practice at the 2021 Suffolk Care Awards. Leading Lives put much of their success down to their business model of employee ownership and not for profit. The board of directors is made up entirely of employee elected directors, voted for by their colleagues.  Leading Lives invests heavily in the wellbeing of employees and involves them in the running of the business, employees feel valued and that their ideas and opinions matter.  All profits go back into the organisation and to the local community. This year Leading Lives gave away £25k to local charities and third sector organisations in Suffolk.  Strong on values and always putting the person at the heart of what they do, Leading Lives is well respected nationally and locally within the care sector winning numerous awards including Health & Social Care Enterprise of the year 2015 at the SEUK national awards (and finalists in 2021), winners at the Suffolk Care awards in 2021 and named in the top 50 Employee-Owned businesses in the UK.    Tony says “I have thoroughly enjoyed working in these services over the years with so many fantastic people. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to help create Leading Lives and am extremely proud of where it is today and how well positioned it is for achieving even more in the future.” - Tony Carr. Lucy Humphrey formerly Director of Operations at Leading Lives and non-executive director at Care Development East has been appointed as new Managing Director to succeed Tony.  Lucy said “This is an exciting time for Leading Lives and despite the challenges in social care we have a wonderfully loyal and committed workforce. I am positive we will work together to make the leading lives difference over the next ten years.” - Lucy Humphrey. leadinglives.org.uk