Building capacity of our charity partners
Matching our business support skills with our charity partners’ needs
Khulisa is a charity working with young people whose lives have been affected by trauma or adversity, delivering intensive therapeutic programmes to enhance their social and emotional skills and in turn, their wellbeing and self-confidence.
Since 2020, the Charles Russell Speechlys Foundation has provided funding to Khulisa to support it in developing and delivering its core ‘Face It’ programme. Our close partnership with the charity over this time has helped to build its capacity as an organisation with many of our business services teams providing assistance across a variety of projects, in addition to pro bono legal advice.
When the Khulisa team needed some advice on HR systems, colleagues from our HR operations team were able to support and talk it through some ‘top tips’. Our design team worked on the ‘Face It’ programme materials to update them ready for Khulisa to use in conversations with schools and potential partners, and our Head of Facilities provided guidance on creating an environmental policy. We also ran two workshops bringing together our colleagues to provide input and insights into one of their key fundraising campaigns and their corporate partnerships offering. Most recently our Information Services team has started working on a research project to further help Khulisa with its corporate partnerships strategy.
The impact of our collaboration is best described by Khulisa: "The workshop sessions, along with support on how we might tier a corporate offer, have helped us to shape how we engage with prospective corporate partners and to understand what corporates want from a partnership that is different to other donors. This has led to new partnerships this year, and we expect it to feed into a more comprehensive corporate campaign in 25/26."
Khulisa staff have also joined our legal education sessions and social media masterclass and benefitted from training and coaching delivered by the CRS Business School. You can read more about this in our CRS Business School spotlight below.
The collaboration between Charles Russell Speechlys and Khulisa has not only supported the charity's immediate programme needs but has also laid the groundwork for strategic growth and development. Our commitment to sharing our people's skills has strengthened Khulisa's capacity to make a lasting impact on the lives of young people and their communities.
Our long-term partnership with Charles Russell Speechlys and the Charles Russell Speechlys Foundation has had many benefits—not least stable funding which has helped us to develop our offer for vulnerable young people and increase our capacity to deliver it well,” says Khulisa CEO Jodie Wickers. “A long-term partnership has also allowed us to build trust-based relationships with trustees and staff, to have frank discussions on our work as it has evolved to meet a complex and changing need, and to road test new ideas in an engaged, constructive environment—helping us to develop and grow as an organisation as well as to deliver our work.”
Jodie Wickers
CEO, Khulisa
Leveraging our skills and legal expertise
Emmaus supports adults who are homeless, vulnerably housed or at risk. The charity offers a home as long as it is needed, providing people with the stability and security to rebuild their life after experiencing homelessness.
Through the work of the Emmaus UK team and 30 residential communities across the UK, they provide a supportive environment where formerly homeless individuals, known as companions, live and work together. Each community is self-sustaining, generating income through various social enterprises, such as second-hand shops, cafes, and gardening projects.
Our Firm has a long-standing relationship with Emmaus, which has continued since the establishment of the Charles Russell Speechlys Foundation. As with other charity partners, we have built a multi-layered partnership, with assistance provided through skills sharing, volunteering and fundraising, but a core element has been the pro bono advice our lawyers have provided. In the 23/24 financial year, we were able to dedicate 207 hours of pro bono advice to Emmaus UK and Emmaus communities.
In addition to the pro bono legal advice provided, our learning technology team has delivered training to companions on Microsoft applications, and we have supported a number of Emmaus communities with ‘hands on’ volunteering days.
A few examples of the advice we have provided recently include:
- Reviewing data policies and partnership agreements, and advice on charitable trading for Emmaus UK.
- Providing advice and assistance on a number of lease-related matters to Emmaus Greenwich, Emmaus Sussex, Emmaus Hampshire, Emmaus South Wales and Emmaus Staffordshire.
In relation to the support on data policies, Emmaus UK said:
We are incredibly grateful for the team’s expertise, drive and patience in this work. The result will mean that Emmaus UK has better policies and practices for the future, safeguarding our ability to deliver work with companions and other people in need.”
They added that for the advice on partnership agreements:
The suggested amends to our existing partner agreements that we received have been very helpful. Moving forward, we have confidence that we are in a secure position when agreeing new partnerships, and that expectations from both parties are clear and understood.”
Emmaus UK
Our partnership with Emmaus is a great example of how we can utilise the skills and expertise of our people across the business to add real value to a charity, helping to build their capacity and ability to deliver for their beneficiaries. As Partner Ambassador for the relationship and having worked on a number of pro bono matters for Emmaus myself, I find it hugely rewarding to know that our support has made a real difference to their vital work. And from attending our regular Trustee meetings and having visited the Emmaus community in Brighton, I know that all our efforts are very much appreciated. But there is still more to do!”
CRS Business School: Supporting personal and professional development
A key element of our work with our core charity partners over the past two years has been offering personal and professional development opportunities to their teams.
Our CRS Business School has run two bespoke day long workshops for our key charity partners on the topics of ‘Leading Change’ and ‘Effectively Leading Others’. Alongside this, the Business School has provided 1:1 coaching to members of staff at our charity partners. Where mentoring has been requested, our Business School has assisted with identifying individuals within our Firm who can provide their expertise and guidance, and making introductions.
The coaching has helped me identify several processes to use in my daily work. These have enabled me to become a more effective worker and line manager.”
Emmaus staff member
The ‘Leading Change’ session gave me and colleagues from our management team a valuable (and relatively rare!) opportunity to step away from our business as usual. This allowed us to reflect more deeply on the way we have set strategies over the years, and the ways that we can plan going forward in a more reflective, inclusive way.”
Safe Lives attendee at the CRS Business School workshop
The coaching support I have received from Charles Russell Speechlys has helped me identify areas I want to change and grow in the next six to 12 months, and how to prioritise these. The support has been tailored, non-judgemental and given me the space to reflect on my own personal goals.”
Khulisa staff member
Our colleagues have also told us they have appreciated the opportunity to be able to use their skills and expertise to support the vital work of our charity partners.
I’m soon approaching the sixth and final coaching session for a senior member of one of our charity partners. We have worked together on a broad range of subjects, including commercial strategy, managing conflict, building high performance teams, and how to use emotional intelligence to enhance one’s leadership style. The coaching has been hugely rewarding on both sides, and I’ve found it a privilege to learn more about the charity sector and to be able to add value through the coaching experience.”
I really enjoyed having the opportunity to run a workshop on ‘Effectively Leading Others’ for our charity partners. The breadth and diversity of experience of the participants contributed to creating a rich learning environment and some insightful discussions. What really struck me was the passion and commitment to empower others and lead authentically and with purpose.”
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