Just like for a lot of people, for us the past weeks have been full of uncertainty. We found ourselves anxiously checking the news for the last government update and learning about the rules of social distancing and proper hand washing. It is a stressful and exhausting time for all of us.

But while governments and people mobilise to save lives, the long list of social issues that we were addressing will not magically disappear. On the contrary, the pandemic is likely to have profound impacts on society and, as it is often the case with crisis, it will hit people who were already vulnerable hardest. The social sector can play a key role in supporting communities who will suffer from the situation during the outbreak and its aftermath. Charities and social enterprises that are not working on healthcare are essential in ensuring community resilience during those challenging times. This is why we would like to offer our help to organisations who need support to continue delivering their services.

We know that the situation is difficult for our clients and the social sector more widely. Some might not have the option to deliver their programmes digitally or even work from home; there might be uncertainty around funding or business models that are incompatible with confinement measures. To assist the sector as the UK is dealing with the outbreak, we will offer pro-bono consultation to help organisations: 

• Understand how to mitigate negative impact of COVID-19 on funding (e.g. how to approach funders, change your impact evaluation approach)
• Navigate options for emergency funding. Pioneer Post is compiling a list of funding made available to organisations in need of resources to adapt to the current situation.
• Consider how they can transition their business model to adapt to the situation (e.g. strategic review).

We are also happy to have a chat if you are not sure how your organisation should respond to the outbreak and what are the next steps you should take. It’s a lot to take on and it’s normal to feel overwhelmed!

You can book a 20-minute slot here: https://calendly.com/aurelianetsic/tsic-support