Kid's Company (2008 Partner)
Based in South London, this is a charity dedicated to the care of lone children in need of counselling and support by reason of their desperate social or family situations. Kids Company currently delivers services to 11,925 clients through three key channels: a drop-in centre at street-level in Lambeth; 33 inner-city schools in London ; and a post-fourteen educational institute, the Urban Academy. Founded in 1998, it has grown rapidly and was recently awarded £12m by government over three years for its work. It is led by Camila Batmangheldijh, 2005 E&Y Social Entrepreneur of the Year. VPF has provided introductions to those with political lobbying expertise as well as other donors/supporters. To find out more about the value added by VPF, please click here.
Beatbullying (2008 Partner)
A young charity set up in 2000 to address the epidemic levels of bullying in the UK (each week at least 450,000 young people are bullied at school). Through shaping attitudes and changing behaviours, Beatbullying is socialising young people and communities to create a society where bullying is unacceptable. Through a diverse range of activities, including work with schools, communities, and with a uniquely kid-led approach, it has worked with approximately 700, 000 plus young people directly or indirectly in London and other parts of the UK. Beatbullying, on average, reduces incidents of bullying by 39% in schools where its prevention model is active. Beatbullying launched their newest programme, CyberMentors, in March 2009. CyberMentors, which makes available Beatbullying's bullying prevention and peer mentoring work online. To find out more about the value added by VPF, click here
Teach First (2008 Partner)
Set up in 2002, Teach First’s mission is to address educational disadvantage by transforming exceptional graduates into effective, inspirational teachers and leaders in all fields. Teach First targets high caliber students who would not normally consider a career in teaching and places them in challenged secondary schools, where more than a third of pupils are eligible for free school meals, for the course of the two year placement. On meeting the requirements of the two year placement, participants graduate with Ambassador Status and become part of a growing movement of Teach First alumni in education and out working together to effect systemic change in education with the support of the Teach First Ambassador team. Teach First had 617 teachers in schools across the 2007 and 2008 cohors, meaning 128,000 pupils had access to an effective and inspirational teacher in a specific subject across 148 challenged schools. It was 9th in the Times 100 graduate employers list. VPF has been working with Teach First to build its Ambassadors programme, most notably through mentoring and parcitipation in the social entrepreneurship programme.