Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF)’s Post

📓 JRF's annual report on the state of #UKPoverty launched this morning, revealing some stark truths. 👇      📊 The latest analysis from our researchers shows a worsening picture of poverty in this country, with families in poverty now on average needing thousands to get out of poverty.   The average person in poverty has an income 29% below the poverty line, equating to a gap of £6,200 for a couple with two children under 14.   📈 With 14.4 million living in poverty in 2021/22, our politicians must take action on this vital issue.    🗳️ A general election is on the horizon, and we are demanding practical solutions from political parties to address this.    Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ebJWWJ_R

🗣 Earlier this year, we asked primary school and primary and community healthcare staff about the impact of hardship in their workplace and how they respond to the needs of those struggling to afford the essentials.    We asked primary school staff how this impact affected their work    - More than half said hardship meant there was a greater requirement for resources like staff time   - One third said their school has reduced school trips to fund or provide support towards hardship   - One third said their school provided a food bank.    Among primary and community healthcare staff     - Almost half said hardship led to an increased demand for services   - 2 in 5 said there was a greater requirement for resources like staff time  - 49% said that they were providing a food bank as part of their service     🔊 Listen to what they said about the consequences of deepening poverty in their workplace and what work they do to tackle the impact of hardship 🔽

We’re proud to support a range of organisations doing incredible work combating the systems and mechanisms that drive poverty across the UK. Below are just a few of those we invest in 🔽 - Since 2022, we've been supporting BelleVie | B Corp™, a home care provider with a self-managing team approach. The organisation is an accredited Living Wage Employer, paying colleagues for full shifts, including time spent on travel, admin and gaps between visits.   This approach ensures that care workers are not only compensated fairly but also experience improved job satisfaction and wellbeing.   - In 2017, we completed a £500,000 investment in Resonance Limited who provide an effective solution to homelessness.   ❗ Temporary accommodation is not the answer - and this fund's 229 homes have provided quality homes to 580 tenants, including just over 300 children in Bristol, Oxford and Milton Keynes.   Housing partners, such as current partners Developing Housing and Independence, and St Mungo’s, lease the homes from the fund on a long-term and affordable basis, manage the properties, and support the tenants whilst helping them to plan a move into more permanent rented accommodation.    - In 2016 JRF invested 3 million pounds in Fair By Design which sets out to tackle the ‘poverty premium’ – the (on average) £490 more each year paid by poorer people for the same goods and services as people who are better off. Some low-income households can end up paying as much as £2,250 per year extra when high-cost credit is factored in. The fund has made investments in 25 ventures which are developing solutions to the poverty premium. Across all of its venture investments, Fair By Design helped reduce the poverty premium by around £283 million for 2.6 million people in the UK (averaging £99 per person) by the end of 2023. 🌐 Our new social investment page is now live! To find out more about our social investments and more of the organisations we support find the link in comments 👇

📅 Online webinar tomorrow on how to talk about private renting! The way we frame our communications matters if we want to see change happen. When we talk about improving housing in the UK, people often focus on the desire to own a home. Renting is seen as a temporary step along the way. Improving renting is not always seen and understood as a vital part of what needs to happen to ensure everyone has a decent, affordable place to call home. 🔎 Do you want practical insights and tips to help you: - Show the importance of improving private renting, and establish this as a part of redesigning our housing system - Hone your explanation skills, to build understanding about policies that would improve renting - Use storytelling to build connection and add scale and context 🌐 Then join JRF in partnership with FrameWorks UK and Nationwide Foundation for our free Talking about Housing webinar tomorrow. Sign up here: https://bit.ly/3VMdVM6

📊 We’re hiring! We are looking for a Lead Analyst to join our amazing Insight and Analysis team. This is a great opportunity for someone who has a passion for and a belief that we can deliver a future free from poverty. Salary: £52,179.40 per annum (plus £5k London Weighting) 📍 London/York/Flexible We are looking for someone with the skills and curiosity to help shape, lead and drive JRF’s programme of analytical work – in ways that can shape policy and generate impact. If that's you, apply here: https://bit.ly/3xR04fF

Today's King's Speech has lots of ambition to address some of the leading drivers of poverty, but there is a critical missing piece. 💥 Reforming social security so we all have a safety net to rely upon. The Government talks of helping the country move on from the cost of living challenges with local wealth creation. But, almost 4 million people experienced destitution in one year, going without enough food, unable to replace worn out clothes or pay their energy bills. 🔎 See our full response to the speech, here: https://lnkd.in/e3GzAHsQ

🗣️ As AI technologies evolve, they must do so in ways that benefit the whole public. To achieve this, everyone must be given the platform to participate in conversations about the design, use, and governance of AI. The voices of non-profit organisations, particularly those that are grassroots, have so far not been adequately represented in decision-making about AI technologies at various levels. Recognising this, we commissioned @WeandAI as part of our AI for Public Good programme to explore the following questions: - Why and how do non-profit and grassroots organisations in the UK engage with generative AI tools? - What are the main drivers and key elements that shape this engagement? - How do these organisations see their role in shaping the broader AI debate? 🌀 We found a mixed picture. Many are excited about the potential for tools to increase productivity and enhance service delivery but concerns were raised around privacy, accuracy and bias, alongside ethical dilemmas around trust and disclosure. Our upcoming event launches the findings of our research, which engaged a broad range of social and environmental organisations in a survey, discussion groups and interviews. You will hear an overview of the research, main findings, and key themes for wider discussion. There will also be an audience Q&A. This event is perfect for: - Non-profit and grassroots organisations: Those questioning how their organisation can engage with generative AI tools, navigate AI ethics, or influence wider AI discourse. - Tech for good innovators: Pioneers dedicated to utilising technology and data to improve communities and lives. - Funders: Resource-holders eager to understand how they can engage with AI to support the wider non-profit ecosystem. - AI enthusiasts: Individuals curious about how AI can be used to generate public good. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gwXYZJgK