RedSTART’s January 2023 newsletter

Because of your involvement in RedSTART Educate – whether as one of our corporate partners who fund us, a volunteer going into the schools delivering the teaching materials, or a member school partnering with us on this programme – you are playing a vital role in helping us #ChangeTheGame for financial education and social mobility for future generations. As CEO of RedSTART Educate, I cannot thank you enough.

Your ongoing involvement will help ensure I can come good on my ambition to shut down the charity in 2030. Because by then, we will have provided the government with the evidence they say they need to roll out the programme to every primary school in the country.

So between now and 2030, my mission is to get RedSTART Educate to the point where we have proved not only that the programme works, but we will also have demonstrated that it’s scalable – those are the two key things that we need to do in order for the government to pay attention.

We’ve achieved a great deal together already to get the programme off the ground – and we’re delighted to welcome our new regional managers John (who’s covering Scotland and is pictured below left), Lynn (North East England) and Helen (North London, pictured below centre) to the RedSTART team. Now, the real work starts!

We were thrilled that our video to introduce the #ChangeTheGame programme, created by HelpFilm, was put forward for a Charity Film Award – and even more delighted to learn this week that it’s made the final shortlist! Thanks to everyone who voted for this fantastic video! The final round of voting opens on the 13th of February, so keep an eye out for when there’s a chance to vote for it again.

In March, look out for an update email in which I’ll highlight the successes of the programme and the latest on the research, as well as give an honest account of any hurdles we encounter along the way. We’ll also include news on what our volunteers, corporate partners, and member schools are up to, as well as featuring regular profiles – so that you all get to know the other wonderful people and organisations lending their support!

For now, I’ll close with one bit of great news and as resounding confirmation of being on the right track with #ChangeThe Game as I could ever wish for…

The baseline research of Y2 and Y3 pupils we commissioned from The Policy Institute, Kings College London, to allow us to track their progress as they move through primary and into secondary school and demonstrate independently the impact of our work, has had a fantastic initial response. We’ve had 2,645 completed surveys back so far – and we’re hoping we’ll finish with around 3,000 in total, an amazing result!

I was in the playground at Keys Meadow Primary School in Enfield talking to parents about the programme, as they came to collect their children from school. I felt a tug on my sleeve. It was a little girl from Y3 who had been standing nearby and listening. She asked me if she could take a parental consent form home so that she could make sure it was signed and she was included.

You are all making a positive difference in that little girl’s future. Thank you!

Until next time, all the best

Sarah

Sarah Marks
CEO, RedSTART Educate