This is a bit of an odd blog post. But as it’s Christmas, I hope you’ll indulge me.
See, it’s not about the property industry – at least not directly. It’s not even about our tech or products. But it is about something that’s very important to me, to the LandTech team, and to the wider property industry.
This post is about the charity LandAid.
Meet LandAid – The Property Industry Charity
LandAid does a lot of important work, all building to an important goal; ending youth homelessness in the UK.
A big part of that work is helping vulnerable young people find a safe place to stay before they’re forced to sleep rough – like young people in care who are about to age out of the system.
Each year LandAid invest over £2m to help fight youth homelessness across the country.
But, to me, the thing that really makes LandAid different is the charity’s willingness – no, eagerness – to invest in capital projects. LandAid recognises the need to physically build some much-needed housing for vulnerable young people.
That might mean supporting small-scale projects, like helping to restore a dilapidated three-bedroom house to make it habitable again. Or it could mean funding huge-scale endeavours, like the soon-to-open LandAid House in London, which will offer over 100 rooms and an array of services to help vulnerable young people achieve their potential.
I love LandAid.
I love the team’s dedication to their work.
I love the charity’s approach to solving a nationwide issue through collaboration.
But mostly, I love LandAid’s ambition to always be doing more to end youth homelessness.
One great example of the kind of impact LandAid’s work can have on the lives of young people is in their work with St Basil’s Youth Voice.
St Basil’s Youth Voice is made up of young people between 16 and 25 who have experienced homelessness. As part of the group, they share their experiences to try and support others and bring about change.
Last year a grant from LandAid helped the programme to send its young people on leadership courses, giving them invaluable skills to help them turn their lives around.
Watch the young people telling their stories in this video
to see the impact LandAid has.
How we’re helping
We’ve been involved with LandAid for a few years now, but as we’ve grown so much over those years, we wanted to do more.
That’s why we’re pleased to announce that we’re now a Foundation Partner for LandAid.
That means over the next year we’ll be donating a minimum of £10,000 directly to the cause. And it means we’ve got some pretty big plans in mind to help out even more by offering time, experience, expertise and, of course, fundraising.
We’re incredibly proud to be supporting LandAid’s work, so we wanted to share some of that work with you.
If you want to see how they’re changing lives (or even donate a little something yourself – it is Christmas, after all) check them out at the link below.