Maya Prabhu: Local heroes who invest in health of their communities

IN his keynote speech at the Conservative Party conference, David Cameron talked about the spirit of social action and the fact that ours is a country that never walks on by.

He praised the example of Dan Thompson who watched the riots unfold in London and didn’t say “the council will clean it up”. He got on the internet. He sent out a call. And with others, he started a social movement. People picked up their brooms and reclaimed their streets.

Undoubtedly, we are in the midst of very challenging times with sweeping changes rippling through our economy and our communities. In the face of increasing need and decreasing resources, there is a growing call for us all to get involved to help tackle problems locally.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Against this backdrop, Coutts in Leeds has just released a new report entitled Inspiring Local Philanthropy, providing a practical guide for people who want to make a difference by supporting the communities that matter to them. Research by Coutts reveals that four in five philanthropists support local charities.

Many people want to invest in their community, and give their money, time or expertise to improve conditions, but don’t know where to start. They are looking for advice and guidance, including how to identify the challenges and opportunities that could benefit from philanthropy, and how to understand the options on how to get involved.

Local community activity and philanthropy is driven by people’s passions, interests, enthusiasms or indeed by their frustrations or aspirations for local communities.

Without charitable giving or social investment, many local organisations would not be able to achieve their goals. There are a number of practical steps and considerations people can take as they embark on their philanthropic journey. There are also many sources of inspiration for those who want to make a real difference to the community that matters to them.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In the report, Leeds Community Foundation illustrates how donors can deepen their understanding of the key issues in the area, with key statistics and an assessment of funding gaps in Leeds. Almost 30 per cent of people in the city live in an area that has been classified as being among the 20 per cent most deprived in the country.

The biggest independent local funders are Wade’s Charity, the Sir George Martin Trust and the Marjorie & Arnold Ziff Foundation, which between them distribute about £750,000 each year in the city.

Those looking to get involved in their own way could consider areas where there are still significant unmet needs such as supporting families in deprived inner-city neighbourhoods, training initiatives that engage young people in positive activities, the provision of a brighter future for looked-after children, or a range of health issues linked to poverty.

Leeds City Council has a database of the more than 2,500 voluntary and community sector groups across the city and Voluntary Action Leeds runs a city-centre based volunteer bureau and a range of other projects.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In addition, Leeds Ahead is a bespoke business brokerage organisation that focuses on working with the private sector to encourage them to get involved in the social and economic regeneration of Leeds. Localgiving.com also allows supporters and donors to search for and find small charities and voluntary organisations in their community.

One example from the recent riots illustrated the need to support local organisations working with young people to prevent violence. Leap Confronting Conflict works to promote understanding of the causes and consequences of youth conflict and to share skills in handling and transforming conflict. It has been working on community and school-based projects across Leeds, Bradford and Scarborough including group offending, preventing weapon and knife crime, tackling bullying, reducing racist violence and peer mediation.

There are many ways for people to support their local area from volunteering right through to funding local charities with grants or social investment, co-funding with other donors, or even establishing an operating charity or social enterprise. The rewards can be significant. When giving is done thoughtfully, even small sums of money can make a big impact and bring about real community transformation on a social, environmental or economic level.

In the words of Margaret Mead, a prominent US anthropologist of the last century: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

• Maya Prabhu is head of philanthropy at Coutts private banking house. To read a free copy of Inspiring Local Philanthropy go to the insights section of http://www.coutts.com/philanthropy.