Case Study

my AFK (Action for Kids Charitable Trust)

WHO:
my AFK helps disabled children and young people live independent and fulfilling lives.

Our Partnership:
The Foundation has had a twenty five-year relationship with my AFK, including the last 4 years as our national charity partner.

The partnership is drawing to a close and over time the Foundation’s annual grant of £40,000 has funded £15,000 towards mobility equipment and helped to grow two key services:

Advocacy:
my AFK’s advocacy support service ensures that local NHS wheelchair services are offering appropriate support and supplying equipment or vouchers to young people who need it; making sure they get the right information, support and care. Our partnership has successfully enabled 47 families and young people to access statutory support and discounts, resulting in savings of £122,935 which has been used to help fund more vital equipment to applicants who would otherwise have missed out.

Individual Fundraising:
Specialist, bespoke equipment is extremely expensive, and can cost over £20,000 and applicants often wait for 6-12 months for vital, life-changing equipment. It has become more important than ever to encourage families and young people to broaden their fundraising beyond their application to my AFK. Through our partnership, my AFK has been able to offer more help to individuals and families in supporting their fundraising efforts, as well as applying for funding from other sources on their behalf, generating £179,738 of additional income.

my AFK focusses on the practical needs of young people up to 25 and their families in dealing with the challenges of disability. The team providing specialist equipment not available on the NHS, act as an advocate to ensure that young people and their families have the support they need or help young people develop the work and life skills needed to live fulfilling and fruitful lives,

‘I'd like to say simply the biggest thank you to all our friends at The Openwork Foundation for everything they have done to support our work. I know as charities we use the word 'life-changing' a lot but they really have changed the lives of 100s of disabled children, young people and their families.”

Lyn Prodger. Corporate Partnerships manager, my AFK

You can watch a short video highlighting the impact our partnership has made here: