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The OCS Foundation, an independent grant-giving and fundraising charity, has relaunched with a sharpened focus on creating opportunities for children and young people facing disadvantage across the UK and Ireland.
Established in 2014, the OCS Foundation has a strong legacy of tackling the causes and effects of poverty by developing the capacity and skills of socially and economically disadvantaged community members. In 2023, the Foundation piloted its pioneering ‘People into Work’ scheme, which has since helped over 680 individuals secure valuable, sustainable employment. These life-changing outcomes are now a core part of OCS’s social value commitments.
With its relaunch, the OCS Foundation is reaffirming its purpose to positively impact as many children and young people as possible, providing them with opportunities to thrive. The Foundation’s mission is clear—children and young people should have no limits to their potential, their dreams, and no limits in their lives.
Recognising the barriers many children and young people face, whether through illness, poverty, exclusion, or unstable family environments, the OCS Foundation supports causes, projects, and charities that offer safety, skills, wellbeing support, and real pathways to a brighter future. By leveraging the strength and reach of OCS, the Foundation empowers individuals through mental health support, education, skills development, and community activities, ensuring a lasting impact.
The OCS Foundation’s initiatives focus on three core areas:
- Wellbeing and inclusion: Promoting mental health, physical wellbeing, and social inclusion.
- Education and skills development: Supporting access to learning, training, career pathways, and sporting opportunities.
- Community support: Partnering with organisations to deliver meaningful local impact.
As part of the relaunch, the Foundation has announced partnerships with Brighten the Corners, Irish Youth Foundation, Teenage Cancer Trust and Scotty’s Little Soldiers. These partnerships will further strengthen the Foundation’s ability to deliver meaningful, lasting impact.
The OCS Foundation is led by a dedicated board of trustees, chaired by Lorraine O’Brien, who brings over 25 years of commercial and charitable leadership experience. Nikki Brown, the new Head of Foundation, is passionate about harnessing collective effort to make a tangible difference in the lives of children and young people.
Brown said of the relaunch: “We are delighted to be announcing a long-term vision for the Foundation which supports our future generations. We are focused on lifting children and young people up and giving them the helping hand they need to create a better future for themselves. The partners that we have chosen will really help us to make a difference.”
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