Supporter Spotlight – ICG

ICG is a global alternative asset manager, providing clients with wide‐ranging capital solutions and creating value for stakeholders, shareholders and communities. Here Fiona Laffan, Global Head of Corporate Affairs at ICG shares how they’re supporting OnSide Youth Zone members during the winter months through their Million Meals initiative.

Like OnSide, we are passionate about supporting young people, which we aim to achieve through improving social mobility. There is a disparity in the opportunities offered to young people, so support is needed to help bridge this gap, and offer a more level playing field. Our charitable giving is focussed on creating opportunities for disadvantaged individuals; particularly for secondary education and university access, succeeding at university and entry into employment and beyond, which in turn will improve social mobility.

We are supporting OnSide as a part of our Million Meals initiative, which provides free meals to individuals and families in need who are being impacted by the cost-of-living crisis and food insecurity. From November 2023 to April 2024, we are providing £550,000 in funding to our partner charities, as well as offering volunteering opportunities to our 600 employees worldwide.

Getting involved with OnSide gives us the chance to support their mission of delivering opportunities to all young people, which they do through building a network of state-of-the-art Youth Zones in the UK’s most disadvantaged areas. OnSide’s skilled youth workers create an energetic and inspiring space for young people, helping to benefit local communities.

In August 2023 several of our colleagues, including David Bicarregui our Chief Financial Officer, visited Legacy, OnSide’s Youth Zone in Croydon. This gave our colleagues the opportunity to see OnSide’s work in action and support the trained youth workersA group of our colleagues also recently volunteered at Unitas, Barnet Youth Zone as a part of the second iteration of our Million Meals initiative. We wrapped presents and helped to serve an afternoon meal for the young people.

There needs to be greater awareness of the benefits of youth organisations like OnSide. These places are important for providing young people with a safe space, as well as creating a network of support and role models to look up to, so we need to encourage more funding in this area. To anyone thinking of getting involved with OnSide, in doing so you will be part of their mission of delivering opportunities to all young people.