Do you help people build financial resilience? Access up to £30,000 

Over a quarter of UK adults are financially vulnerable.  More than 11 million people have less than £100 savings to fall back on.* 

We also know that too many people and communities are facing life shocks right now. These are major life events which can have a deep and detrimental impact. They include personal shocks like bereavement, serious illness, separation or divorce, and job loss. Life shocks can also be wide scale and prolonged events such as climate change, a recession, or Covid-19. 

Life shocks can quickly pull the most vulnerable in society into financial hardship.  This can then escalate into a crisis from which it can be difficult to recover.  

We’re partnering with Royal London to support social entrepreneurs to build and grow creative solutions, helping people build financial resilience to life shocks.  If you’re an innovative, ambitious leader of social enterprise dedicated to helping people to build financial resilience, our new Changemakers Programme is for you.  

Introducing ‘Changemakers’ – our brilliant new partnership with Royal London

Through the programme we offer a grant of up to £30,000, expertise to help you scale up, and the opportunity to partner with Royal London, the UK’s largest mutual life, pensions and investment company.  

The pensions gap. Equal pay for equal work. Sustainable employment. An economy that is becoming increasingly virtual. Our society is facing a number of key challenges, and it has never been more important to address them.

Who we’re looking for

We’re looking for changemakers working in areas that can build financial resilience. These include helping people engage with long term savings, tackling financial exclusion, creating easier access to technology, finance, and financial products and tools, supporting others to build fairer financial futures, and encouraging better business behaviours. 

There are 10 available places for leaders at an early stage in their enterprise, ready to grow income from trading. Or, you could be a more established organisation looking to grow into a new area or further develop your solutions. 

How the programme works 

Participants on this programme receive:

• Two years of support, including 1-2-1 expert consultancy, learning sessions with other social entrepreneurs in the same sector.   
• A grant of £10,000-£30,000, with opportunities to access further funding in years 2 and 3.  
• The chance to collaborate and build a relationship with Royal London to work on building resilience for more people. 

You’ll also benefit from our practical learning style.  No textbooks – just inspiring people who’ve been there and done it and are motivated by social impact. 

Find out more and apply online

Deadline for online applications is 1pm Tuesday 1st June.   The programme starts in September 2021.   

Nicola Steuer, Managing Director, School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) comments: 

“SSE has a proven track record in supporting social entrepreneurs to grow and scale, as well as working with corporates in the financial sector. Royal London understands the importance of social enterprise as a sustainable model for societal change. 

 

“The pandemic has escalated society’s inequalities and we’re hoping the social entrepreneurs on this programme will have a huge impact on supporting vulnerable groups out of further financial hardship.” 

Nadia Al Yafai, Group Head of Social Impact & Responsibility at Royal London says: 

“Helping people build resilience to life shocks is at the heart of our business. We already support our customers and communities in this way. And in partnership with SSE, we can support the Changemakers on our new programme to help even more people to prepare for life’s shocks. Together we can make a better, fairer future possible for those who are most vulnerable in our society.” 

*Sources: FCA Financial Lives 2020 survey: the impact of coronavirus + UK-Strategy-for-Financial-Wellbeing-2020-2030-Money-and-Pensions-Service

  From Hannah C, SSE Comms Manager