MK Community Foundation’s Capacity Building Programme bridges the gap between the Corporate and Voluntary Sectors of Milton Keynes, by working with companies who want to donate some of their staff’s time or skills to community organisations.

The programme is proud to have worked with ICAEW, who provided pro-bono marketing support to local charity, Early Autism Support, as well as Jazzmine McDonald, Data Protection Manager who used her volunteering day to provide a skills based workshop for the voluntary sector of Milton Keynes.

A newly forged strand of the Foundation, the Capacity Building Programme works to build the capacity of charities and community organisations to be sustainable in the future. This is achieved by matching specific skills-based volunteers to the organisations that need them most.

Michaela Clark, Capacity Building Manager at MK Community Foundation, said,“The business sector have so many transferable skills they can offer to the voluntary sector. It is well evidenced that employee volunteering has a number of benefits, giving employees the chance to build connections with their local communities and give back to society, all whilst developing their confidence and gaining new skills.”

Through the Capacity Building programme, and the kindness of ICAEW’s Student Marketing Department, Early Autism Support gained access to professional marketing expertise and transformed their website to better suit their aims as an organisation.

ICAEW, known for its commitment to giving back to the community, was eager to support MK Community Foundation’s Capacity Building Programme and its aim to build capacity and strengthen charities like Early Autism Support.

Charlotte Reed, ICAEW Senior Marketing Executive, said, “The team and I found supporting Early Autism Support with their marketing extremely rewarding. Not only did it give us an opportunity to meet some wonderful people, but it also allowed us to explore ways to spread our creativity within the charity sector”.

“It’s easy to get wrapped up in your day-to-day work, so this was a brilliant way to use our skill s and expertise to support this local charity.”

Founded in 1880, ICAEW has a long history of serving the public interest and continue to work with governments, regulators, and business leaders globally. And, as a world-leading improvement regulator, they supervise and monitor around 12,000 firms, holding them, and all ICAEW members and students, to the highest standards of professional competency and conduct.

ICAEW is a founding member of Chartered Accountants Worldwide (CAW), a global family that connects over 1.8m chartered accountants and students in more than 190 countries. Together, we support, develop and promote the role of chartered accountants as trusted business leaders, difference makers and advisers.

MK Community Foundation is committed making a positive difference in the lives of those who live in our community by funding life changing projects across the Milton Keynes. Over the past 35 years, MK Community Foundation have supported Milton Keynes charities and community groups with over £18m in rent subsidies and £15m in grant programmes.

To find out more about MKCF’s Capacity Building programme, please contact Michaela Clark: Michaela.clark@mkcommunityfoundation.co.uk