Building resources
Key objectives
- Develop and support teachers to empower children with the financial education they need to thrive as adults.
- Work with local partners across England to provide personal care to those facing homelessness.
Access to essential resources is fundamental to achieving a good standard of living and participating fully in society. Without adequate food, shelter, education, money, qualifications, or health, individuals struggle to thrive, facing barriers to opportunities and choices.
In 2023, individuals, families and communities were forced to make difficult decisions as the impact of the cost-of-living crisis continued to be felt across the UK. This year we focused on ensuring access to essential needs and building children’s confidence to talk about and relate to money through the Refugee Support Small Grants Programme and the Just Finance Foundation. These programmes create opportunities for people to access the resources they need, helping individuals build a stable foundation for a thriving life, where they find security, growth, and opportunity.
Refugee Support Small Grants Programme
In 2023, the Refugee Support Small Grants Programme, funded by Benefact Trust, provided crucial assistance to refugees arriving in England from Ukraine and Afghanistan. The programme allocated small grants ranging from £500 to £5,000 to churches and Christian organisations addressing a variety of needs including personal items, volunteer expenses, language support, and integration activities. These grants supported 16 projects focusing on Ukrainian refugees, 10 projects focusing on Afghan refugees and 11 projects serving both Afghan and Ukrainian refugees. The grants enabled these organisations, many of which had not previously received funding, to expand their support and services.
Just Finance Foundation (JFF)
Against a backdrop of economic insecurity, young children are beginning to develop habits and values around money. The skills and values we use to manage money are developed as early as ages 3 to 7, but fewer than 40%3 of young people say they recall having learned about money in school, and financial education is often not taught meaningfully until secondary school. We are focused on closing this education gap by supporting teachers with quality resources, training and ongoing support from education experts.
In 2023 the LifeSavers programme engaged 49,502 new students and served 184 new schools. Our partnerships allowed us to innovate and broaden our impact, while our new Moneybox Productions kit and Money Help Hub provided essential resources for schools and communities. We also conducted research to better support financial education in Alternative Provision settings, ensuring that our efforts are inclusive and far-reaching.
