For Orbit community investment is about utilizing our own assets, our supply chain, partners and most importantly our customers to create thriving and empowered communities. This philosophy drives not just what we do, but how we do it.
We have four priorities for investing £30 million in our communities by 2020 – money, employment and skills, wellbeing, and digital. Each priority has a strategy and a local delivery plan based on unique community need.
Our partnerships and investment in third sector projects, which account for over 85% of our funding, has enabled us to support new enterprises and grow existing successful programmes. Though Orbit prides itself on embracing innovation, we recognize that we don’t have all the answers.
The Better Days Fund recognizes this. We think that there are significant opportunities in expanding the base from which we get ideas. We hope to augment the great work already being done by injecting non-traditional players into solving some of the issues. This includes individual actors to bridge the gulf between top down and bottom up solutions.
Finally Orbit hopes to foster an open culture of sharing and learning. Ways for all of us who strive to make positive impacts within society to share learning, experience and best practice.