Giving our time away for free
We continued our commitment in 2024 at Studio Every, to give our time to two charities.
Our pledge is two weeks, for two charities.
For one month over the year, we down tools for clients and paid work and focus our attention on new challenges for charity.
Why Adoption UK & Sustrans?
We set out our pledge for charities that have either personal significance, or geographical relevance.
Adoption UK is a charity close to our hearts, with first-hand experience of adopting a child and the challenges experienced by families.
Sustrans are a charity with a headquarters in Bristol, who’s mission is to make it easier for everyone to walk, wheel and cycle. Since Studio Every are keen cyclists based in Bristol, they felt like a great match.
What did we learn & what stood out?
Adoption UK: Making fundraising links meaningful with brands
Adoption UK is the leading charity providing support, awareness and understanding for those parenting or supporting children who cannot live with their birth parents. They help adoptive families build brighter futures for vulnerable children.
We were delighted to explore new perspectives on fundraising, providing strategic direction, and inspiring how we can shift the narrative on adoption in society.
We uncovered new avenues to build meaningful connections with brands and organisations, that has the potential to make a real impact.
What did we learn?
Brands can have more connection with charity needs than you might think.
For example, snacks and drinks can really help dysregulated children, yet brands may not be aware of the benefit they really provide, beyond nutrition.
Play and connection is a foundation to build a bond with a parent/carer and child, that can decline are children get older. Toy and games companies have an ability to facilitate that bond throughout childhood development.
What stood out?
What stood out to us, was the link so many brands have with adoption and the relevance they may not realise they have in people’s lives. There is so much more fundraising potential when you uncover the connections between brands and people.
“Studio Every worked closely with us to develop an approach that feels right for who we are and what we want to achieve.
The opportunities they identified and the framework they created has helped give us clear direction that’s already helping us build stronger relationships with corporate partners.”
Sustrans: Considering acquisition and retention membership techniques
Sustrans are custodians of The National Cycle Network, that gives people the freedom to move and explore, build up confidence, connect with nature and forge friendships.
We explored new elements of their offer that can encourage everyone to enjoy that National Cycle Network.
We investigated different business model approaches that could create new opportunities, exploring new ways Sustrans could acquire and retain financial support from the public. As well how the creation of compelling content would engage their audience and grow a community.
What stood out?
What stood out to us was how incentives to encourage people to part with money for a good cause can yield far greater results, provided there is relevance and uniqueness.
In summary:
Both charities have stretched our thinking and enabled us to draw on techniques and skills that we didn’t anticipate to apply in the charity sector.
Brand connection and service design thinking has so much potential to grow audiences and increase fundraising.
