Research conducted for Aberdeen children’s charity, Befriend a Child, has revealed that for every £1 donated to the organisation, it generates a social return on investment (SROI) of £6.13*.
The report was developed on a pro bono basis by business advisory firm Deloitte, and found that since 2000, the charity has helped support more than 1,100 vulnerable children and young people across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
While Befriend a Child offers a range of support services, the main focus of the social impact assessment is the charity’s befriending scheme – a service providing 1:1 support between a volunteer and vulnerable child.
The analysis revealed that 96% of volunteers said they developed a trusting relationship with their child. It also found that as much as 50% of befrienders felt that volunteering for the charity had a positive impact on their careers, with some considering a change of occupation after discovering a love for working with children.
Befriend a Child said that being able to clearly demonstrate the impact of its work would help it provide more support to the city’s children and highlight the positive impact it has on the people it works with.
Richard Stewart, head of marketing, fundraising and external affairs at Befriend a Child, said: “Charities increasingly need to place a demonstrable value on their work – a fact underlined by a recent survey from Pro Bono Economics. Deloitte has come in and shaken us up a bit – unlocking results we didn’t know we’d achieved and identifying ways we can improve our services and processes.
“Having these results will help get us noticed. We’ll be able to make Befriend a Child stand out when we apply for funding, enhance our credibility, and engage with sponsors in terms that mean something to them. We’ve already taken some of the report’s findings and used them in applications.
“This couldn’t come at a better time for us. As the low oil price continues to take its toll on the Aberdeen economy and more people need to make use our services, we’re coming into contact with families we would never have seen in the past. At the same time, there’s a squeeze on funding, which is putting pressure on other charities and we’re noticing a growing number of referrals. We see ourselves as being the last chance a lot of children have.”
Graham Hollis, senior partner for Deloitte in Aberdeen, said: “The results of the social impact assessment speak for themselves and showcase the important work Befriend a Child carries out every day for children in Aberdeen. We are proud to work with such a worthwhile charity and look forward to continuing to support it in the years ahead.”
The social impact assessment was produced by Deloitte for Befriend a Child as part of the firm’s One Million Futures strategy. The five-year initiative will see Deloitte work with 54 charities, schools, and social enterprises, as part of a UK-wide objective to help improve the lives of one million people by breaking down barriers to education and employment.
Already, the strategy has delivered around £700,000 in pro bono services – part of its investment of almost £5m. The activity has enabled Deloitte to positively affect more than 138,000 futures in year one.