Helping others get their hands dirty has been a big part of the past 25 years.
We’ve been heavily involved with – often leading in – local, regional and national community and church mobilisation. Always in collaboration, often cross-sector and inter-faith collaboration as the objective requires. It’s transformative work.
Work that informs, educates, enables and empowers the individual, the community and the organisation to get their hands dirty, share their skills, do their bit, make a difference, outwork a passion and build community.
From across denominations, races, religions, political leanings and cultural and Corporate Social Responsibility divides, we have been instrumental in mobilising individuals and communities into action. Action that is self-sustaining and locally owned. Action that meets pressing social and environmental needs, bringing networks of people together to make the difference needed.
This includes the founding and pioneering locally faith-based Community Action, Support Centres and innovative recycling projects in the 90’s, amongst many other initiatives in the UK and Africa. Also the launching of Reward Your World (now BetterPoints) a web-based behaviour change and volunteer platform in 2009.
Through merger and acquisition, the forming of key partnerships and affiliations with national charities, ethical and eco organisations, local, national and international corporates, public transport companies and seven County and Local Council Authorities, the impact was magnified. Within three years we had formed a hub of over 2,500 active community groups around the UK with an active base of over 1 million users.
This behaviour change programme incentivised sustainable local transport, workplace programmes, local volunteering and social engagement through major national volunteer networks.
All of this forms an important part of One Life International’s experience base and contributes to our broad, yet focused involvement of community empowerment.