There is a vital role for businesses to play in growing youth social action - doubling the number of young people involved - and formally recognising its value. This event brought together business leaders, young people and representatives of organisations dedicated to increasing the opportunities for youth to engage in social action to discuss the ways that businesses can get involved. - See more at: http://www.bitc.org.uk/programmes/responsible-business-week/2014-event-reports/growing-youth-social-action-opportunities#sthash.F6RMHZFK.dpuf

1. Growing youth social action
- the opportunities
for business

2. Amanda Jordan
Co-founder, Corporate Citizenship Company
Co-founder, Step Up To Serve

3. Charlotte Hill
Chief Executive, UK Youth
Chief Executive, Step Up To Serve from 22nd April

4. www.stepuptoserve.org.uk
@stepuptoserve

5. www.stepuptoserve.org.uk
@stepuptoserve
A cross-party, cross-sector national Campaign to
Increase the number of young people aged 10 -20 participating in
meaningful social action to
over 50% by 2020
What is the Step Up To Serve
#iwill Campaign?

6. www.stepuptoserve.org.uk
@stepuptoserve
Social action means practical action in the service of
others
Social action has a double benefit – improving life chances of
young people and strengthening society
• Building skills young people need to be successful in the workplace and in
school
• Strengthening society by increasing employment, safety in
communities, educational engagement, civic participation and building
better schools
• Providing support to the voluntary sector and community projects who
benefit from young people’s talent, energy and passion.

7. www.stepuptoserve.org.uk
@stepuptoserve
Why does this Campaign matter?
• The current estimate of 29% of young people involved in social action means we are failing
to maximise the energy, talent, commitment and potential of 8.4 million young people in
the UK aged 10-20
• Educators and employers recognise the potential of youth social action to help improve the
educational outcomes for young people as well as build the skills they need to be successful
in the workplace.
• We need to galvanise cross sector and cross party support to dramatically increase the
opportunities for young people to participate.

8. www.stepuptoserve.org.uk
@stepuptoserve
Five areas of focus to deliver the Campaign’s goal:
Desired outcomesObjectivesThemes
▪ Youth social action is the norm▪ Attract and sustain interest in social action among
young people, and support from the peers and
parents
Promote engagement and
participation
▪ All stakeholders aligned and committed to
the Campaign aim
▪ Identify and manage all relevant groups across
youth, business and education sectors
Engage, enable and influence
▪ Sufficient opportunities for 50% of 10-20
year olds to participate
Stimulate opportunities for young
people to engage
▪ Enhance existing schemes
▪ Promote new initiatives
4
▪ Benefits of youth social action recognised
and tracking of participation embedded in
every activity
Understand
▪ Understand participation levels and demographics of
participants
▪ Understand and demonstrate benefits to youth and
society
1
3
5
SOURCE: 19 September CYSA workshop discussions
▪ Opportunities provide the double benefit
Ensure quality
▪ Enable organisations to increase quality of
opportunities2

9. www.stepuptoserve.org.uk
@stepuptoserve
#iwill Campaign Pledges
• In 2013 the Campaign received over 60 significant and potentially
groundbreaking pledges from organisations across
business, VCSE, education, faith, government and public service
• We have formed working groups across sectors to build on the momentum of
these pledges towards achieving the 2020 collective goal

10. www.stepuptoserve.org.uk
@stepuptoserve
Existing Support

11. www.stepuptoserve.org.uk
@stepuptoserve

12. Kate Van der Plank
Head of UK Community Investment, National Grid

13. 13
Line of sight
Business Drivers:
•HR: Engagement, retention, attraction, performance
•External Affairs: Leadership, Reputation, stakeholder
engagement
Citizenship programme:
Create shared value for our communities, people and
business by inspiring social action to build
sustainable communities for the future.

14. Our Aim…
• Use our key role at the heart of society to build stronger communities and create shared
value for our business, our employees and our society by:
Inspiring the next generation to contribute to society to develop their personal and
employability skills and connect with and contribute to their communities
Inspiring & connecting our people with communities to develop & transfer
skills, share time and expertise

15. RETIREMENT
▸ Community focus in
retirement planning courses
▸ Professional’s programme
for new retirees
BUILDING
CAPABILITY
Community activity tailored
to develop core business
capability and leadership
qualities, especially:
▸ Coaching and leadership
▸ Stakeholder Management
▸ Innovation
▸ Developing a wider external
focus
ENGAGEMENT
▸ Team building projects
▸ Networking and employee
connections
▸ Supporting employee effort
(e.g Matched Giving)
▸ Responsible business:
Pride
HR agenda: Where community
activity adds value
ON-BOARDING
▸ Community Action Days as
part of induction
▸ Tailored volunteering linked
to development plan
▸ Mentor from within business
with previous volunteering
experience
▸ NewNet volunteer activities
RECRUITMENT
▸ Value and encourage Social
Action at application and
interview
ATTRACTION
Targeted:
▸STEM education activities
General:
▸CR Reputation and
leadership
▸Local community
involvement, employee
ambassadors

16. Bill Eyres
Head of Sustainability, Telefónica O2 UK

17. Think Big_
The value of thinking big
Bill Eyres
Head of Sustainability,
Telefónica UK and Europe
@BillEyres

18. 18
Telefónica UK
Think Big
We believe that the possibilities of
technology should be open to everyone
so that people can live better, do
Who we are

19. Telefónica UK
Think Big 19
Think Big
„ Put money directly in
the hands of young
people to run projects
in their local
community
„ Complemented by Think
Big Schools and
GoThinkBig.co.uk
„ Helped with employee
engagement, driving our
sustainability
plan, collaboration, re
putation and brand
Our youth programmes
o2.co.uk/thinkbig

20. Telefónica UK
Think Big 20

21. Telefónica UK
Think Big 21
Brand, marketing & reputation
• Greater brand warmth
• Seen as different, innovative, engaging, in
touch with young people and caring about
customers
Customers Young
Peopl
e
Parent
s
O2 Recycle
Local /
national media
& campaigns
Think Big Youth
Think
BigSchools
GoThinkBig.co.uk
Awareness of Think
Big

22. Telefónica UK
Think Big 22
Value to the UK
“Now more than ever
before, digital offers the
chance to drive sustained
economic recovery, but
this will only be realised
if we become a nation of
digitally confident
businesses with a digitally
literate workforce”
Ronan Dunne
CEO Telefónica UK
September 2013

23. Telefónica UK
Think Big 23
Our commitment: Step up to serve
By 2020, O2 (Telefónica UK)
will have backed 10,000
youth social action ideas,
which will inspire a further
50,000 young people to
participate in youth social
action through Think Big.

24. Telefónica UK
Think Big 24
Key points
„ Do what you’re good at
„ Partner for impact
„ Involve employees
„ Invest in your future talent
„ Build trust and reputation
„ Know what you want to be
famous for

25. Keep in touch_
Twitter - @O2UKThinkBig
@BillEyres
Blogs ‟
news.o2.co.uk/tag/think-big
Email ‟ thinkbig@O2.com

26. Telefónica UK
Think Big 26

27. Radhika Patel &
Daniel Borgenicht
Lloyds Scholars

28. Roundtable discussions
1. Introduce yourselves
2. What do you think of, when you think of youth social action?
3. What can businesses most usefully do to help grow youth social
action?
4. What could support and enable businesses to do this?

29. Thank you & get in touch
www.stepuptoserve.org.uk
www.bitc.org.uk