OneFamily gives back in 2022
At OneFamily, one of our core beliefs is that everyone should have the chance to succeed.
We believe in levelling the playing field and finding ways to help others help themselves.
And we’ve had a busy year!
In 2022, more than 100 OneFamily employees volunteered at 36 different events, supporting 14 causes. We’ve helped improve access to education and the job market, raised vital funds and given charities a helping hand both financially and practically.
Here are just some of the highlights from the year.
Helping children learn life-long money management with RedSTART
Earlier this year, we announced our new charity partnership with financial education charity, RedSTART.
RedSTART has just launched an ambitious seven-year programme to demonstrate the need to teach children about finance in school.
We’re excited to be a part of the research which involves looking at how students who are taught about budgeting and finance fare once they leave education.
The charity plans to build a body of evidence with King’s College Policy Institute to take to the government showing that financial education has a long-term positive on children’s lives.
Teaching job interview skills with Spear
Spear helps prepare young people for the world of work. An important part of that preparation is learning what to expect in a job interview. This is where OneFamily staff can help.
In 2022, we took part in six “mock interview” days and helped run a careers panel. We gave students a taste of what job interviews are like in a safe and supportive environment and were able to spend time with them afterwards offering feedback and explaining what interviewers are looking for.
Supporting students to choose their own future with IntoUniversity
OneFamily has teamed up with IntoUniversity’s corporate mentorship programme.
The OneFamily volunteer mentors are teamed up with sixth form college students with the aim of helping them to work out their priorities after they finish their A-levels.
The students who join the programme often don’t have someone in their life who is able to explain and weigh up their options with them, so this support is invaluable.
Mentors are already guiding students on how to write their personal statements for university, how to find relevant work experience and how to prepare for life at university. If university isn't the right option for them, the mentors help them look at what else they could do after education.
We also invited the students working with IntoUniversity to the OneFamily office for a fun workshop exploring the skills needed to thrive in the business world.
Raising vital funds and spreading the word
Sometimes, the most effective way we can support charities is by fundraising and adding our voices to their cause.
We’ve spent our volunteering days helping Whitehawk Food Bank sort donations, hiked for the Clock Tower Sanctuary and run for Team Domenica. We’ve even spent time helping to raise the profile of Brighton Unemployed Centre Families Project by handing out leaflets, so those who need to know how they can access the service.
We’re not done yet - this December we’ll be shaking buckets and taking part in a sponsored sleep-out for homeless charity, the Clock Tower Sanctuary.
Maintaining community spaces
Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare, Stanmer Community Garden and Brighton beach have all benefitted from our volunteers’ eagerness to make community spaces better for everyone.
We’ve given back to our local communities through gardening, site maintenance and good old-fashioned litter picking.
Giving charities a hand
Throughout the year, we’ve been on-hand to help local charities with the running of their services.
Esteem helps young people to find their way through mentoring, work experience and social support. The charity asked if we could help them to paint their centre to make it a welcoming environment for its members and we were delighted to get stuck in.
We did the same for Off the Fence, a charity that empowers women in difficulty and vulnerable children, when they needed help moving to a new site.
A whole gang of OneFamily staff descended on Team Domenica when they asked if anyone would be able to help them to paint their offices. Team Domenica is a social enterprise charity, which helps people with learning disabilities to reach their full potential and find meaningful employment.
Volunteering in 2023
Every member of staff at OneFamily is given three days of volunteering leave on top of their annual leave. Staff have embraced their time with charities this year and we can’t wait to do the same again in 2023.
Take a look at our careers page for opportunities to join the OneFamily team.
You may also be interested in:
Charity sets out to get financial education taught in primary schools
RedSTART has begun an ambitious research programme to find out how learning about finance in primary school can help people later on in life.
How we’re helping students develop business skills
We welcomed students from IntoUniversity to our Brighton office as part of our commitment to supporting our local communities.
How we’ve supported our communities so far this year
As a friendly society, we support charities and good causes in any way we can, not just financially!
Inspiring Better Futures
Our Inspiring Better Futures vision underpins our commitment to doing the right thing at every level for our members and customers, colleagues and communities.