Ten Years On: What’s Changed, What Hasn’t - And Why That Matters
Ten years ago, United Way UK was launched with the kind of determined optimism you need to do anything worthwhile. A borrowed desk, two staff, no shortage of coffee.
We knew our local communities were facing real challenges - and that top-down, one-size-fits-all solutions, however well-intentioned, often miss the mark at a local level. Real impact, we believed, had to be led by communities themselves. So, we set out to do something different: bespoke, local partnerships that build the kind of support people identify as essential to their ability to thrive – support that varies from place to place and changes over time. At the heart of it all is one goal: creating the conditions for social mobility.
A decade on, many of the challenges we set out to tackle are still with us. The cost-of-living crisis isn’t easing. Inequality hasn’t gone away. And grassroots organisations are still expected to deliver miracles with minimal support.
But at United Way UK, we’ve evolved. We’ve helped thousands of families and individuals access the kind of tailored support they wouldn’t otherwise have found. We’ve built cross-sector partnerships that go beyond funding - co-creating targeted initiatives with businesses that want to drive meaningful, long-term change in the communities they care about. And we’ve developed a model that connects the dots: between business and community, between policy and reality, between global and local.
Milestones are a welcome opportunity to raise a glass - but also to pause, take stock and ask what the next decade demands of us. The questions haven’t changed, but our ability to tackle them has:
Are we creating real change?
Are we tuning in to what communities actually need right now?
Are we staying proactive and creative in how we lead?
That’s why this ten-year point matters. At United Way UK, we’re more targeted - building bespoke, community-led projects that respond to stated needs, but also align with our partners’ wider goals. We’re more collaborative - working with funders who understand that covering core costs is an essential part of impact. And we’re more honest – about what this work really takes. Sometimes, that even means walking away when the funding model isn’t built for real-world change. That’s not idealism, it’s experience.
This year, we’re choosing to celebrate with renewed purpose rather than self-congratulation. We’re sharpening our focus on local communities. We’re investing in the data that shows what works. And we’re inviting our exceptional partners to reflect with us. Not just on how we keep doing what’s working well now, but on how we respond to the challenges of the next 10 years.
And yes, we’re marking the moment in true United Way UK style – thoughtful, resourceful, unique. Two world-class concert pianists. Drinks. Good company. And a shared moment to honour the last ten years, and look ahead to the next. If you haven’t RSVP’d yet, we’d love to see you there - https://register.enthuse.com/ps/event/UnitedWayUKsTenthAnniversaryCelebration
Here’s to the next ten years of creating the conditions that make social mobility a reality!