Today and across the weekend, Southampton Hub will be launching our local Hub spotlights on community issues as part of our Winter Fundraiser at Student Hubs.
Southampton Hub will be featuring posts and other content engaging with the issue of youth disadvantage, and we’re thrilled to announce that we have received an incredible donation from law firm DAC Beachcroft to support our work with youth disadvantage, specifically for our Branch Up programme.
What is youth disadvantage?
Youth disadvantage is exploring the issues and challenges young people face in their daily lives which may provide barriers to them accessing the same experiences and opportunities as their peers, and which young people may need additional support with as they grow up. Through our programmes, we aim to bridge the gap young people may face so that they can grow up with the same experiences, educational experience and advantages as other young people their age.
DAC Beachcroft’s donation
Back in September, DAC Beachcroft, an international law firm with offices across the UK, including in Winchester and Bristol where our Hubs are based were looking for causes to donate to focusing on tackling youth disadvantage, and they discovered our Branch Up programme in Southampton.
Branch Up is a programme we run in Southampton and Bristol, and focuses on running free Saturday activity days for 7-11 year olds who are referred to the programme either through Social Services or their school. The programme specifically looks to engage young people who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, For example, young people who may have had adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), who may be from low-income backgrounds, or who may struggle with educational attainment, and their social and emotional wellbeing and capabilities.
DAC Beachcroft are donating £1000 to Branch Up in Southampton, and their Winchester team will also be providing gifts which Sophie Ford and Catherine Taplin-Thorpe will be delivering to our Branch Up cohort as a surprise for Christmas.
£1000 is a hugely valuable contribution to Student Hubs’ delivery of Branch Up and will make a massive difference to the children who attend the programme. Following the impact of Covid-19, the young people we work with as part of Branch Up have been acutely affected, so supporting them through 2021 and beyond is so important to us.
Thank you to DAC Beachcroft for your generous donation and support. 2020 has been a challenging year, but working with partners like you who share our values and care about our communities has been one of the most rewarding parts of our year. We can’t wait to share how your donation is used, and the impact it has on our young people at Branch Up!
How can I support?
Whether you’re a student, Student Hubs alumni, a committed champion of Student Hubs or an individual working for an organisation like DAC Beachcroft, there are lots of ways you can continue to support and get involved in our Winter Fundraiser!
You can:
- Follow Southampton Hub’s social media feeds on Twitter, Instagram and through our national Student Hubs accounts to see their spotlight on youth disadvantage in our Hub communities;
- Donate to our Winter Fundraiser here;
- Explore if your organisation could contribute or sponsor a programme, by contacting Fiona Walsh, Sales Director at fiona.walsh@www.studenthubs.org – we would love to discuss how you can support us and our five Hub communities!
Thank you once more to DAC Beachcroft for your incredible support, and we look forward to sharing our updates on Branch Up in 2021.