About Street to School
At Aviva, we're committed to making a difference in our communities
Through our Street to School programme Aviva will support street children projects in the UK and in 27 other countries around the world.
Our customers buy insurance, savings and investments to look after themselves and their families. But sadly, many street children have no-one to protect and care for them. Every year in the UK 100,000 children run away because they're unwanted, unloved or abused. Many are never reported missing. For them, the street is often their 'safest' option.
We believe that every child living or working on the streets should have the opportunity to fulfil their potential. That's why we've chosen to support Railway Children, one of the key UK charities working with these vulnerable children. Aviva is working with Railway Children to develop safety nets for children who are at risk of living on the street - and for those who already do.
We're supporting a number of Railway Children projects:
- Immediate support to young runaways
- Education outreach, bringing together local authorities and community partners
- Preventative education programmes in schools and communities
- Volunteering and fundraising opportunities for Aviva employees
One of the projects we have already started supporting is in South Yorkshire. The project, Safe@Last, serves children and young people across the region by addressing their issues with support, advocacy, networking and signposting according to individual needs.
In April 2005, with support from Railway Children and in partnership with South Yorkshire Police, Safe@Last launched a Missing Persons scheme for young runaways who have been reported missing, and have since returned home. Currently, the scheme is running successfully in the Boroughs of Rotherham, Doncaster and Sheffield.
The project provides a helpline and educational packages to schools and youth groups on the risks of running away. With the launch of the Aviva Street to School programme, Railway Children is in an even stronger position to help these kinds of projects.
