Save the Children and Admiral Group have announced a new three-year partnership worth £1 million to support the charity’s UK and global work in mitigating the impacts of climate change and poverty on children.
Save the Children, with its long history of supporting children in Wales and Admiral Group with its roots firmly in Welsh communities, will reach more than 17,500 children and their families living in some of the most disadvantaged communities.
Wales is the nation with the highest child poverty rate in the UK with 200,000 children - the equivalent of ten pupils in every classroom - living in poverty. Climate related emergencies are hitting low-income families the hardest with food and energy insecurity driving up costs. Children living in communities facing the most challenges and in poor housing are also most likely to be exposed to the effects of flooding, damp, extreme heat and air pollution. Access to nature and safe play areas, which is vital for wellbeing, is also out of reach for many.
Save the Children and Admiral Group aim to help children shape safer, fairer and more resilient communities by listening to their voices and building on their ideas and solutions. The work will be delivered in Wales through two flagship child-led programmes called Voice and Light and Seedlings of Change.
The Voice and Light project will work with children and families living in areas with high levels of poverty in Cardiff, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Neath Port Talbot to understand what information, guidance and practical support children and families need in emergencies, such as flooding.
This will lead to designing and creating child-friendly resources such as animations, books, toolkits and digital tools which can be used in schools and by practitioners and decision makers across the UK to help children prepare and recover from emergencies. Immediate help will also be offered to families through grants, delivering vouchers for basic essentials such as food, clothes, books and toys for children.
The Seedlings of Change project will empower children to design and lead on climate and nature solutions to provide better access to safe and green spaces within their communities for them to play and learn.
The partnership will also see Admiral Group supporting Save the Children’s global work as a member of the Humanitarian Network. This is an alliance of Save the Children's Corporate Partners who collectively mobilise resources, raise awareness and drive innovation to better support children and communities before, during and after emergencies.
Moazzam Malik, CEO of Save the Children UK said: “Children are demanding a greener and more just future. We owe it to them to deliver that and take serious action on the climate crisis and growing inequality.
“Effective emergency response doesn't start when a crisis hits; it starts with listening to children and families as they know what works best for their communities and providing them with the tools to prepare.
“We are delighted that Admiral Group has chosen to support both our global emergency fund through their membership of our Humanitarian Network and our critical work in the UK. We look forward to working together on our shared ambition to build a better climate for childhoods in Wales and around the world, and to influence local and national policy and practice so that children can reach their potential.”
Michelle Leavesley, Chief Sustainability Officer at Admiral Group said: “Through our partnership with Save the Children, we’re proud to support work that strengthens resilience, responds to poverty and climate related challenges, and puts children’s voices at the heart of shaping safer futures. Working together in Wales and beyond, this partnership reflects how we’re continuing our journey to better, combining our experience in risk and resilience with Save the Children’s deep expertise to help communities feel more prepared and more supported so children can grow up safe and thrive."
ENDS
For more information contact: [email protected] /[email protected]
High-res images available upon request