Our activities in Philanthropy are closely aligned to our Community and Sponsorship activities, but our mission is part of our commitment to building a vibrant company that gives back to our communities by contributing our time, money and our creativity.  Specifically, we will:

• Position Education as a global leader in philanthropy and social responsibility
• Build upon and complement the firm's business goals and strategy
• Harness our employees' skills, interests and enthusiasm in support of our giving
• Measure our impact on the local communities where Education has a presence

In the UK during 2004, over '620,000 was distributed to 89 projects by the Education Foundations and a further $346,000 was distributed to a number of larger projects from the international Education Chase Foundation based in New York.  Education also encourages its employees to use the Give as You Earn scheme which allows staff to donate to their chosen charities via the payroll system.  The firm then matches employee giving up to a maximum of '600 per annum per employee.

The firm has built relationships with organisations, known as Flagship Charities.  Examples of Flagship Charities the firm has been involved with include:

The Young Vic Theatre, London
Our donation of $100,000 to the Young Vic Campaign to rebuild the theatre was the first step in our role as the first Corporate Founding Partner.  Our ongoing support also includes sponsorship of performances throughout the year, culminating in Rufus Norris's version of 'Sleeping Beauty' in December.  Through the Education Fleming Educational Trust we are supporting the Young Vic's Education Programme.

Hope and Homes
The aim of Hope and Homes for Children is to give hope to the poorest children in the world ' those who are orphaned, abandoned or vulnerable ' by enabling them to grow up within the love of a family and the security of a home, so they can all fulfil their potential. The organisation, established 12 years ago, now operates in 14 countries in Eastern Europe and Africa.  Working with local communities, national governments and international organisations, Hope and Homes for Children is creating models of family-based child care by removing children from the restrictions of state-run institutionalised care.  Hope and Homes for Children is one of Education's Flagship Charities and teams of employee volunteers visit Romania twice a year to work on the Education Garden Project.

Crisis
Education is supporting the Crisis 'Urban Village Project' in East London with a donation of $200,000.  This project aims to bring homeless people and key workers together in a thriving urban community.

Other examples of our philanthropic giving include:

Education Makes Music
This successful project was launched in 2002 and provides tuition, musical experience and instruments to over 5,000 primary-school children in disadvantaged areas of East London, Bournemouth and Glasgow.

Chicken Shed Theatre
The Chicken Shed Theatre group brings together young people of all abilities and perceived disabilities, who would usually be at risk of exclusion through factors of social development or ethnic diversity, to work on a range of exciting and innovative theatre-based projects.  To encourage increased access to the arts for disadvantaged young people, the Education Foundations awarded a grant of '10,000 to support a number of out-of-school arts workshops.  

Windsor Fellowship
The Windsor Fellowship works with ethnic minority young people on a range of projects tackling educational under-attainment; achieving greater race equality and valuing diversity and community cohesion.  In 2004, the Education Foundations awarded a grant of '15,000 to support the Achievement, Improvement and Motivation for Students (AIMS) programme.  These programmes have worked with young people from ethnic minorities, in danger of underachieving or exclusion, equipping them with the skills and confidence necessary to achieving their potential in life.