In accordance with the Foundation’s Vision and Mission, and in response to the contexts in which we operate, the Foundation prioritises projects working towards the following Impact Goals:
IMPACT GOAL 1: EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Rationale: Education should not be a privilege; the United Nations recognises it is a legal right of every child. It is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. According to UNESCO[i], if all young adults completed secondary education, 420 million could be lifted out of poverty.
Funding priority: We work with partners who offer educational and therapeutic interventions for those most at risk of dropping out and/or under-achieving to facilitate school attendance and greater educational attainment.
IMPACT GOAL 2: ACCESS TO INCOME GENERATION OPPORTUNITIES
Rationale: Youth unemployment not only affects individuals’ economic well-being but can also lead to broader societal issues. Young people from lower economic backgrounds or with disabilities are particularly at risk and often face significant barriers to securing meaningful income generation opportunities.
Funding priority: We work with partners who are reaching the most vulnerable young people, equipping them with market-relevant skills through vocational and entrepreneurship training, careers guidance, mentorship programmes and internships.
IMPACT GOAL 3: SAFEGUARDING VULNERABLE GROUPS
Rationale: Multiple risk factors, including disability, gender, cultural origin, poverty and family instability exacerbate the vulnerability of young people to violence, exploitation and crime. There continues to be inadequate services and systems in place; too often leaving young people exposed and unsupported.
Funding priority: We aspire to work alongside partners who create protective environments and programmes for personal empowerment, emotional stability and social responsibility, for at risk people who are victims of violence, discrimination, exploitation and/or involved in crime or substance abuse.
CROSS-CUTTING THEMES:
The Foundation has identified a number of cross-cutting themes which are central to our vision and respond to the context in which we work. In terms of how our partner organisations operate and govern, we expect to see these cross-cutting themes to be clearly reflected and evidenced where possible. Within projects themselves, whilst the cross-cutting themes are not essential, we will look favourably upon projects which address one (or more) of these themes alongside our impact goals and funding priorities.