Aug22136 27. Best Children’s Education Equality Support Company 2024 Established in 2014, basis.point aims to give all children in Ireland equal access to the brightest possible future through the power of education. Serving as the charity of the Irish funds industry and its wider ecosystem, there is a particular focus placed on children hailing from underserved communities, giving them the lift they need to get ahead in life. Thanks to a number of collaborations across the industry, more than €6 million has been raised so far, all committed to fund educational programmes as a means to break the cyclical poverty cycle. Head of Marketing and Communications Joanne Shaw tells us more. Guided by the vision that one day all children in Ireland will be able to reach their full potential thanks to education, perhaps the most unique and defining feature of this charity is its renowned ability to bring key industry players together, encouraging them to put their differences aside and work as a united front in order to combat educational disadvantage. Joanne elaborates, “the programmes that we support focus on fundamentals spanning the complete educational lifecycle of a child and operate across the country, delivering nationwide impact.” Forming effective partnerships has proven to be instrumental in the team achieving this, and through the prioritising of clear communication channels, matching with partner cultures, and providing robust governance structure, in addition to embodying an exemplary approach to due diligence, trust is fostered, and further collaboration wholeheartedly encouraged. As an example of the proactive approach that is taken when it comes to achieving this, Joanne tells us about the “new National Programme for Philanthropy [that] was launched in December of 2023”, something that was put in place in order to, “encourage a rise in corporate giving as companies develop a deeper understanding and awareness of their social contract.” Thanks to the additional funds that have been raised as a result of such initiatives, this team are able to better address the imbalance that is present in regional funding, learning more about those locations most in need of their services so as to improve wider regional support across the country. Since Ireland has developed to become a fund industry world leader, accessing those senior figures who are keen to give back to the local communities near to where they work or live, is easier now than ever before. In terms of where these funds then go, they support programmes spanning beyond the staples of numeracy and literacy, with the nurturing of elements such as self-esteem, leadership, and resilience all favoured. At the very heart of this commitment then is a promise to allocating 100% of funds that it receives from its patrons or supporters to its grant initiatives, in lieu of any being deducted to cover its own operating expenses. Thus, the organisation’s costs and operational expenses are managed in other ways, such as the proceeds it yields from fundraisers such as its Corporate Golf Challenge and Spring Lunch; receipts from raffles, auctions, and similar internal events; the tax credits garnered from patron payments; as well as external donations that are specifically marked for operational expenses. basis.point thus acts on behalf of all of its patrons and supporters to select and fund the relevant programmes that adhere to its shared vision, establishing their footing in local communities and then working together in order to expand their implementation on a national level. As one can imagine, the internal culture of this charity is very much defined by working hard and together, building trust and engagement through the collective goal of giving. Commenting further on this, Joanne explains, “we value openness, transparency, and accountability- trust and good governance is integral to our work. We support a culture of kindness, compassion, and empathy, and value philanthropy and equality.” Due to the recent turmoil that has engulfed our societies globally, there has never been a greater need for services of this calibre. Joanne comments, “even the smallest intervention can make an enormous difference in the lives of vulnerable young people”, and this team remain steadfast in their commitment to doing their part. As mentioned, more than €6 million has already been pledged so far towards this fantastic cause, and by 2025, basis.point hopes to have increased this figure significantly to €7.5 million, pledging to have helped a total of 60,000 young people to have accessed their true potential, unhindered by their socio-economic standing, by the time that this financial target is reached. Contact: Joanne Shaw Company: basis.point Web Address: www.basispoint.ie Jan24723
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