1 August 2017
PwC will help the two charities over the next two years by raising money through organised fundraising events, employees volunteering their time and staff donating money via payroll.
UK Youth will use the funds raised to help improve social mobility for more young people across the country. As a leading national youth charity supporting over 830,000 young people across the country, UK Youth is committed to providing access to appropriate, high quality services in every community so that all young people are empowered to build bright futures, regardless of their background or circumstances. PwC’s partnership will help UK Youth expand their reach to the most deprived areas of the country so that even more young people can access opportunities to learn, develop skills and increase their employability.
Kevin Ellis, chairman and senior partner at PwC, said:
“We’re looking forward to supporting the work of Samaritans and UK Youth who make such an important contribution in their respective fields.
“Our employees’ choice of charity partners reflects our culture and commitment to broadening access to the profession, creating a level playing field to succeed and breaking down taboos around mental health. By bringing together the fundraising power of our 20,000 people across the UK we hope to make a positive impact.”
Anna Smee, CEO of UK Youth, said:
“We are thrilled to work with PwC to tackle social mobility and build bright futures for all young people across the UK. Social mobility is arguably one of the most important and challenging issues facing British society today. With the help of PwC and their employees, we can expand our reach to help even more disadvantaged young people in the most deprived areas of the UK access support, advice and training in their local community, learn vital life skills and engage with education, volunteering and employment.”
PwC’s support will help Samaritans train 500 volunteers, who could answer an additional 105,000 calls each year. At a time when increasing numbers of people are turning to Samaritans for confidential emotional support, the need to recruit and train new volunteers has never been greater. Samaritans has 201 branches in towns and cities across the UK and Ireland. PwC and Samaritans will be teaming up to promote awareness of their services, and the difference volunteering makes, across those communities through a variety of initiatives.
Ruth Sutherland, Samaritans CEO, said:
“When someone is feeling overwhelmed, it’s vital that they are listened to and supported to work through difficult thoughts and feelings. With our confidential 24-hour service, available 365 days a year, we are often the only place people can turn to, especially when other services are unavailable. We look forward to working with PwC in the communities where its employees are based to increase our volunteer numbers and promote the power of listening. Together, we will save lives.”
PwC and its employees are passionate about helping to support more open conversations about mental health in the workplace. The firm’s Green Light to Talk initiative went City-wide this year, with 70,000 people wearing a green ribbon to signify that they were happy to have a conversation about mental health, and PwC has appointed a mental health leader and a number of mental health advocates across its offices.
PwC is ranked 7th in the UK’s first-ever Social Mobility Employer Index and last year, the firm’s total community contribution was £7.4 million through a combination of donations and over 71,000 volunteering hours. More than 6,000 PwC people volunteered their time, benefiting some 16,000 people.