Street To School
At Aviva, we're committed to making a difference in our communities. Aviva Street to School is our international community investment programme, which will provide support for street children projects in the UK and in our 27 other markets around the world.
Our customers buy insurance, savings and investments to look after themselves and their families. But sadly, many street children have no-one to protect and care for them.
Every year in the UK 100,000 children run away because they're unwanted, unloved or abused. Many are never reported missing. Shockingly, there are only five refuge beds in the whole of the UK. That's why we've chosen to support Railway Children, the only charity working across the UK with these vulnerable children. We'll also be supporting regional charities working in this field.
We recognise that every child living or working on the streets has the right to fulfil their potential. Together, we'll champion the needs of street children and encourage them back into school or training programmes.
What are we doing?
Over the next five years, Aviva's businesses will roll out Street to School programmes in their local communities. Aviva's Street to School programme will support initiatives that help and encourage these children back into school or training programmes.
Read some real life street children case studies and the lives they have to lead:
These stories may not be suitable for younger readers
The bigger picture
Aviva operates programmes in the UK, Turkey and India -click on the countries below to find out more.
India has the largest number of street children in the world
We've partnered with CRY (Child Rights and You) and Save the Children in India to help over 50,000 street children get access to education and training by 2012. In the first year, with Aviva's support these charities will be reaching out to 20,000 children across nine projects in five states.
For the very young children the focus will be on preventing slum children from ending up on the streets through providing early years care and education. We'll also be supporting programmes that target older children who are actually living on the streets and have missed out on education altogether. These young people will be offered schooling or more vocational-style training opportunities. We'll also work with parents to ensure they are educated about the importance of health, hygiene, childhood care and education.
Urban migration, poverty and unemployment have all contributed to the increasing number of children living and working on the streets in Turkey.
To help street children in Istanbul, we plan to support programmes delivered by SHÇEK, Turkey's Social Services and Child Protection Agency.
With Aviva's help, SHÇEK can extend its support to Istanbul's street children through 11 centres and homes across the city. The centres will provide rehabilitation, vocational and educational services, as well as social and cultural activities. SHÇEK will also meet the physical and emotional needs of children, including guidance and counselling for their families where it is needed. When appropriate, SHÇEK aims to help reunite children with their families.
There are 100,000 runaways in the UK living on the street
To help these young people, Aviva has chosen Railway Children as their charity partner. New research from Railway Children called 'Off the Radar' has explored the experiences and realities for children and young people who are spending the majority of their time on the streets.
In response to this research Aviva will support Railway Children's ambition to 'make a long-term sustainable difference to children alone and at risk on UK streets'. This will be achieved through supporting best practice projects which not only meet the immediate needs of children already living on the streets, but will also focus on the benefits of early intervention and prevention programmes in schools which are supported by the UK's Department for Schools, Children and Families (DSCF).
