Statement of Purpose
Investing in Children is a not for profit organisation, which means we will never get rich from the work we undertake and we do not make a profit. However we do try to make a surplus, which we reinvest into our work.
With this surplus we fund our projects, support groups, and new service initiatives. But more importantly, we reinvest back in to our young people, either directly through IiC or via our newly established Investing in Children Foundation.
Investing in Children as a viable, successful business needs to be understood within the context of what we see as our fundamental purpose. Being a company is a means to an end: being the effective promotion of the human rights of children and young people.
This is expressed in our statement of purpose:
Our Vision
Children and young people possess the same human rights as the rest of humanity. They will experience a better quality of life if society in general, and the services used by them in particular, recognise and respect these rights.
Our Purpose
We will contribute to the realisation of this vision by working alongside children and young people to:
- Support them in identifying situations in which their rights are being ignored, and to campaign for improvements;
- Encourage them to participate in discussions and decisions that affect them;
- Review and improve the services used by them;
- Forge partnerships and work with other organisations who are committed to developing practice that respects their rights;
- Act as a catalyst for change and innovation by celebrating and publicising positive practice;
- Contribute to local, national and international debate about children’s rights.
Our Principles
We believe that:
- Children and young people are citizens now (they are rights bearers) and as such have the right to participate in decisions that affect them.
- Children and young people know about what is happening around them (what has been described as their ‘lived lives’).
- Organisations that provide services for children and young people (duty bearers) must recognize their right to participate, and engage children and young people in dialogue that is aimed at bringing about improvements in their ‘lived lives’.
- The means of engaging children and young people must be inclusive and respect the democratic rights of all.