Encouraging generosity

Encouraging generosity by young people

It is much harder for today's young people to be generous with their money than it was for their parents. Most young people need their money just to live.

This problem is called The Intergenerational Divide and the Social Mobility Commission view it as one of the most significant challenges facing the UK today https://www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/type/Healing-the-Generational-Divide/

We view the principle of generosity towards others as an essential part of what makes a good society work. And, although many young people do not have much money, many are very generous with their time and also take on and support activities which are altruistic and benefit wider society. We believe that such generosity needs to be encouraged.

The aim of The Rev. Ted Baines Charity is therefore to provide matched funding to support charitable giving (in time or money) by the next generation. This helps the next generation learn the joy of giving and enables them to achieve the charitable priorities which are important to them.

The "Next Generation"

We define the “Next Generation” as people born on or after 1 January 1990. This is simply a way of setting a boundary on when the switch-over from successive generations always being better off economically than their parents, to a generation being less well off, took place. Our charity supports the fundraising and volunteering efforts of The Next Generation, and the January 1990 date is written into our constitution.

How much am I actually giving?

Although many people of older generations are very generous with their time and money, Jesus (the founder of the Christian faith) cautioned that there are dangers:

“Then Jesus sat down opposite the offering box, and watched the crowd putting coins into it. Many rich people were throwing in large amounts. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, worth less than a penny. Jesus called his disciples and said to them, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the offering box than all the others. For they all gave out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had.”

Mark 12 41-44

The charitable priorities of the next generation

The other danger is that giving by older generations can all too easily retain a degree of control, since the person who gives always decides which charities to support. This means that charities supported by older generations inevitably reflect the charitable priorities of that older generation.

The Rev. Ted Baines Charity is therefore based on a third key concept – by supporting matched-funding by the next generation it is therefore supporting the charitable priorities of the next generation and so empowering young people, passing power and control of how the money is used to them. Our aim is to empower the next generation by supporting their chosen charitable causes and in doing so, help make a fairer and a more caring society.

Our Mission - to make every £ go further

The Rev. Ted Baines Charity's mission is to address these issues. It is based on a unique concept – that we can make every £ raised or given to charity go further.

We do this by:

• Encouraging the older generation to give some of their income or "windfall" wealth to help bridge the inter-generational divide
  
• Encouraging generosity BY the next generation by funding their own giving and fundraising efforts
• Supporting the charitable choices and priorities of the next generation and so passing control over the uses of money to younger people
  
• Encouraging Christian churches to participate and by doing so, reconnect Christian churches with the young people of their church and communities
  

"For now, I would like to say it was a pleasure meeting you both. I went away with quite a new perspective on how different generations may choose different causes to support, and how those generations with a concentration of wealth determine how philanthropy and fundraising efforts happen. Quite inspiring to know you have a plan to effect change in your own way."

(Byron Campbell, Regional Development Officer, The Woodland Trust, July 2019)