The Vodafone UK Foundation
The Vodafone UK Foundation and YouthNet are committed to being at the forefront of new ideas that give young people the support they need, when they need it. This shared belief has formed the basis of our partnership since it started in 2001.
Our partnership
The Vodafone UK Foundation has been one of YouthNet's key corporate supporters for over six years. During that time, the Foundation has helped to create a step-change in TheSite.org's reach to young people, from an original 10,000 unique users to our current figure of over 500,000 every month.
"We are confident that askTheSite will revolutionise support and advice for young people across the UK," Sarah Shillito, Head of the Vodafone UK Foundation."
Vodafone employees do their bit for YouthNet
In addition to cash support, The Vodafone UK Foundation also leverages the input of skills and expertise from Vodafone UK employees. This ensures that YouthNet can make best use of funding and resources and that the partnership has the greatest possible impact.
Pete Deadman, Head of Project Management, Vodafone Global Business Marketing, has been giving his time to YouthNet as a volunteer Business Change Mentor for over two years.
Has your volunteering with YouthNet impacted on you professionally?
Yes. Working within a completely different industry helps broaden my knowledge and understanding. When facilitating, challenging and supporting the YouthNet team, it seriously stimulates my mind. Having to think from a completely different perspective, forget about telecoms and use my intrinsic experience is fantastic fun and powerful development.
And personally?
Being associated with YouthNet over the last couple of years has been a very rewarding and enlightening experience. Getting closer to the issues, comments, pressures, thoughts and actions of one of the most exciting groups within our community has opened my eyes, mind and opinions. In addition, it can only help me appreciate, understand and communicate better with our target group.
What do you enjoy about volunteering for YouthNet?
Working with such a committed and passionate team of people. They really are 'turning on a penny'; instantaneous and generous in energy, expression and delivery. Seeing how YouthNet has changed as a charity over the past two years and just to know that in some way I have used my years of professional growth to help, whilst at the same time having fun and learning, is fantastic stuff!
In 2004 the Foundation selected YouthNet as one of its flagship charities for a new four-year partnership. Integral to the partnership has been the development of askTheSite, our confidential and anonymous online question and answer service for 16 to 24 year-olds, and the development of TheSite.org on mobile.
With The Vodafone UK Foundation's support askTheSite provides young people with personal answers to their personal questions 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Looking to the future, the Foundation's support will enable young people to get advice on the move through a mobile phone based version of askTheSite.
"Being associated with YouthNet has been a rewarding and enlightening experience," Pete Deadman, Vodafone Global Business Marketing.
The Vodafone UK Foundation says:
"For over five years we have been one of YouthNet's key corporate partners. The Vodafone UK Foundation chose to support YouthNet as we recognise the acute need young people have for a safe and confidential place to visit to access the facts on life, delivered in the tone, language and style they understand and relate to.
We are confident that through askTheSite YouthNet will revolutionise the way that young people are supported and advised in the UK so that in the future, fewer youngsters will be heard to say, "I don't know where to go for help". To show our commitment, we will be supporting askTheSite all the way up to 2008."
Sarah Shillito, Head of The Vodafone UK Foundation