RaboDirect.ie and Barnardos today announced a three year partnership to raise funds for the children's charity and to highlight problems facing disadvantaged children in Ireland today. The online bank will support the charity's work with vulnerable children in Ireland in a number of ways including direct financial support, a fund raising programme and funding for an advertising campaign to support Barnardos efforts to break the cycles of poverty and educational disadvantage.
Through its fundraising initiatives, RaboDirect aims to raise at least €150,000 for Barnardos' Best Chance programmes to improve learning and development for children aged 5-9. RaboDirect will contribute €20 to the Best Chance programmes for every Savings Account opened during the campaign. The bank will also facilitate regular donations from its existing customers' savings accounts to Barnardos. The bank is also keen to encourage Rabobank Ireland staff and its customers to volunteer time on a range of Barnardos' projects.
RaboDirect will also fund a radio advertising campaign to highlight the issues of educational disadvantage faced by many children in Ireland today. As part of the campaign, RaboDirect has partnered with Newstalk's Sean Moncrieff Show and Life with Orla Barry. Critical issues facing children growing up in poverty will be highlighted through a regional feature on specific Barnardos' projects.
In addition, RaboDirect are running an Investment Media Challenge with Damien Kiberd on Newstalk's Down to Business show. Damien has been given €20,000 by RaboDirect to invest in any of- RaboDirect's investment funds. The Investment Media Challenge will start on the 21st April. Each month Damien will give an update on his progress on his show- Down to Business. In December 2007 RaboDirect will hand over the original investment and all profits to Barnardos. And if there has been any loss in the initial investment, RaboDirect will make up the difference and give the full €20,000 to Barnardos anyway!
Barnardos Best Chance scheme is one of three initiatives aimed at children during different stages of their lives. Best Chance focuses on improved learning and development to help children aged from five to nine years to stay in and progress through school. The ESRI reports that 840 schools in Ireland today are disadvantaged, including 600 primary schools while 30% of children in disadvantaged areas suffer a severe literacy problem, that's three times the national average. Currently 19% of Irish children leave school before completing the Leaving Certificate while 1,000 children in Ireland each year fail to make the transition from primary to secondary school.
Welcoming RaboDirect's support, Fergus Finlay, Barnardos Chief Executive said, "Getting the most out of education is the key to breaking the cycles of disadvantage that have trapped generations of families and children in poverty. Barnardos Best Chance programme gives children the tools to make the most of education. RaboDirect's initiative means Barnardos can get straight to the children at risk of missing out in school. We value RaboDirect's commitment to raise the issues of education and poverty in a very public way and look forward to working with them to make sure no child gets left behind".
Commenting Greg McAweeney, General Manager, RaboDirect said "Barnardos deserves all the support we can give them. For some children the work of Barnardos is the "Best Chance" they can get. It is quite shocking that in today's modern Ireland that 111,000 children live in consistent poverty, lacking basics such as adequate heating, a good pair of shoes or a hot meal a day. Barnardos has and continues to play a pivotal role in the future of many children which is why we believe Rabobank should support Ireland's leading.