They are spending $20 million over 10 years chasing an "unachievable" goal – halving the number of 190,000 disadvantaged or excluded young people in New Zealand – and this year the Vodafone Foundation is marking its 20th anniversary by challenging more corporates to get involved.
Also known as Te Rourou, the Vodafone Aotearoa Foundation is five years into the 10-year goal of halving those numbers even though their Chair, Juliet Jones, says their goal will not be realised.
"We know already that Covid-19 and the pandemic have hit people disproportionately in this country," she says, "particularly Maori and Pasifika as well as in the South Island. It's hit young people hard too and our goal was always a difficult one to reach – but Covid has made it unachievable."
The foundation's $20m quest to halve the number of young people who experience exclusion and disadvantage is being pursued through innovative funding programmes, community partnerships and by leveraging Vodafone's networks and digital technology.
It has now distributed more than $45m to over 1000 charities since 2002, making it one of the largest corporate philanthropic donors in Aotearoa New Zealand.
"A lot of people might ask why we don't just change our goal," says Jones, who is also the Legal, Regulatory and Sustainability Director for Vodafone NZ. "So, for example, should we lower our ambitions and aim to support a third of disadvantaged or excluded youth, not half?
"That's missing the point," she says. "What's important is that we are trying to address a long-term, systemic problem – it's the right thing to do.
"Some government statistics suggest that child poverty is decreasing, for instance. But that's only one measure. Access to education, health, jobs and justice are other measures – and that's the difficult task we are helping with."
Based on government data, Vodafone says there are more than 190,000 excluded and disadvantaged young people in New Zealand, or around 23 per cent of all 12-24-year-olds.
"The challenges that young people face are becoming more pronounced, as the health, economic and educational impacts of Covid continue," she says.
The foundation's goal, she says, is not just "shiny corporate sponsorship" which can sometimes be more about marketing and brand payback rather than making a difference to the community. It is the difference between true sustainability and public relations.
"We believe corporates can do more, can contribute to community in so many ways. In our experience, engaging in strategic philanthropy; partnering with communities, and leveraging business capabilities provide the most powerful impact.
"There are green shoots from the pandemic: globally, in 2021, volunteering and donations were up 25 per cent from pre-pandemic levels. While Covid has brought huge amounts of suffering, and exacerbated existing inequities, it has also ignited our sense of collective belonging and community care. We believe corporates have a role to play in maintaining and building on this momentum."
In 2020, charitable giving in New Zealand was also up, according to Givealittle. In August, they announced a record $27.2m raised in the previous 12 months, up from $23.8m in 2019.
"Historically, individuals do the heavy lifting when it comes to charitable giving in New Zealand," she says. "A 2018 study found that businesses made up a small part of all giving in New Zealand – around 3.8 per cent. Sponsorship and donated goods and services from corporates are higher but often it's cash that charities ask for when push comes to shove," Jones says.
In today's socially charged climate, corporate giving is coming into sharper focus: "Customers want it, investors want it – the social impact of an enterprise is becoming more important.
"It's easy to focus donations on short-term initiatives. But the real test is for corporates to ask themselves whether what they are doing in term of community involvement would continue if it didn't involve visibility. In other words, would you still do it if no one knew about it?"
Te Rourou/Vodafone Foundation largely flies under the radar, says Jones; systemic issues and setting long-term goals can be hard "but much more impactful to create a better New Zealand for generations to come".
"We are also demonstrating that philanthropy and profit do not have to be mutually exclusive – they can and do exist together. Over time, the benefits to the business will come."
The foundation's work in Invercargill – a region where 29 per cent of youth has been hit hard by Covid and other pressures – is now adopting a new, "place-based" approach, to focus its impact. The Vodafone business will be doubling down on its connectivity investment in Invercargill in the next year, with increased digital access to help young people with everything from education to employment and will help increase their wellbeing, cultural identity and their overall level of social connectedness.
It's a blueprint which, if successful, the Vodafone Aotearoa Foundation will work with government and other partners to take to other troubled youth areas of the country.
For more information, please visit https://foundation.vodafone.co.nz/