OUR APPROACH
EVERY DREAM IS WORTH
BELIEVING IN
"Not all children have the same dreams nor the same abilities to follow those dreams. But all children must be given the same chance to pursue their own dreams and an equitable opportunity to realise their own abilities; to us, that is what education should be; a place where children dare to dream big while always caring for others"
OUR APPROACH
​
FundLife was born in 2012; On a white beach shared by those with abundance and those with not, who came together as equals, to laugh, to play, to compete on a level playing field.
Since 2014, FundLife has evolved into a purpose-led, not-for-profit organisation, always keeping dreams at the centre of all we do, while working with some of the world's most recognisable partners.
This approach has led us to support the most marginalised children and youth living in chronic and short-term emergencies through a dignified, opportunity-led approach. We work with local communities to design and deliver personalised programming for youth that restores hope through investment in their education and personal development.
FundLife works directly on the ground in the Philippines where it has developed a proprietary youth-led, community-first approach to ensuring all children have an equal opportunity to dream in colour. In addition to implementing projects, we support local CSO's and NGO's all over the world that are committed to youth-led, bottom-up programming.
Beyond purposeful play, we design employment and training pathways to vulnerable young people, delivering job-ready skills with personal resiliency and professional mentorship.
​
"Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connections and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be"
Rita Pierson
YOUTH FIRST,
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOR LIFE-LONG OUTCOMES
We combine purposeful play with innovative storytelling to co-design
Social, emotional & educational (SEE) learning through play and community learning. Working within formal education and communities, we create holistic in and out of classroom education to support transformative change.
PILLAR 1:
PLAY TO PROTECT
​
The first and most critical step is to keep children safe by keeping them in school and in with support. We do this by combining innovative programming with children's innate energy for play and enthusiasm for experiential learning.
Our programs provide a safe and nurturing space for children to develop at their own pace and gain the confidence to express themselves; an environment where failing is permitted and where children look out for one another.
Through play, girls and boys participate equitably, and parents and communities are central to development. By working towards a shared goal, agency and ownership of outcomes are shared by young people and adults.
PILLAR 2:
TEACH TO LEAD
Building on a foundation where all children are protected, our programs develop life skills through participation in FundLife activities: self-confidence, teamwork, patience and leadership. Children are taught by youth mentors and encouraged by role models to think about their goals (dreams with a deadline) and the paths to achieve them.
Projects work with educational partners to monitor the progress of students while delivering opportunity to explore their passions and providing the skills needed to follow their dreams.
PILLAR 3:
CONNECT TO SUCCEED
Older FundLife participants attend workshops and meet with mentors to develop the skills they need to find dignified work opportunities. Some of these participants may be selected for a FundLife education programme that teaches technical, digital and life skills. These help to prepare students for further education, decent work opportunities or the creation of micro-enterprises that can create holistic and inclusive community development.
Graduates pursue their own passions while some are offered positions as coaches, peer mentors and youth leaders at FundLife. In this way, they become a teacher for the next generation, inspiring them, not just with words of encouragement, but with personal stories of achievement and personal experience; they show the way for others to follow
