Christmas

Celebrating the difference we make: Support our Christmas Challenge today

We’re thrilled to be taking part in this year’s Big Give Christmas Challenge. For our fifth time taking part, we aim to raise £12,000 to symbolise 12 years of our impactful programme delivery!

How it works

The Christmas Challenge is hosted by the Big Give and is the UK’s largest ‘match-funding’ campaign. Every donation made during campaign week, which takes place between Tuesday 3rd to 10th of December, is doubled by the ‘match-fund’ pot, added to by generous pledgers and our champion funders, The EQ Foundation. This means, during campaign week, one donation makes double the difference!

This festive season, can you support us to tackle educational inequality?

Opening doors to future opportunities

At Action Tutoring, we believe that every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. We are working hard towards making this mission a reality by harnessing the power of volunteer tutors.

This year, we’re honouring our amazing volunteers with our #TheDifferenceWeMake theme. By giving just one hour a week, our tutors make a significant difference to the lives and futures of children and young people, helping them to overcome challenges, build confidence, and achieve their goals.

Watch our video

Click and play our video below to hear inspiring stories from our tutors about their most impactful moments.

Why we need your support

The attainment gap is the widest it has been in 12 years. Exacerbated by the pandemic, disadvantaged pupils are 19 months behind their more affluent peers by the end of secondary school.

A solution to combating the attainment gap? Tutoring. We know that high-quality and focussed tuition can make a huge impact on the lives of disadvantaged children and young people. Nationally in 2023, just 52% of disadvantaged pupils passed maths GCSE. This increases to 65% after at least 10 sessions of our tutoring support.

By coming together, we can work towards our vision of a world in which a child’s life chances are free from any limits of their socio-economic background.

Donate to our Christmas Challenge today

Each year, thousands of brilliant volunteer tutors help us make a difference by giving their time. To truly maximise our impact, we also rely on the power of donations. Your generous donation, however big or small, will directly fund vital programmes resources:

• High-quality maths or English workbooks: Providing pupils with engaging and effective learning materials.
• Noise-cancelling headphones: Vital for pupils to concentrate during online sessions.
• Enhanced DBS checks for volunteer tutors: Ensuring the proper safeguarding of all pupils and staff.

If you’re unable to make a donation, you can support our cause by spreading the word. Share this blog with friends, family, and on your social media platforms, using our hashtag #TheDifferenceWeMake.

Thank you for your support and kindness this festive season. Together, we can make a difference and inspire change.

Donate to our Big Give Christmas Challenge this Giving Tuesday

In 2012, in the heart of New York City, the seeds of Giving Tuesday were sown with a vision to inspire a wave of radical generosity and celebrate the act of giving. Since then, it has grown into a global movement, motivating millions to contribute their time and resources to charities and communities in need.

Each year, on November 28th, following the Thanksgiving festivities and the shopping frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday is commemorated with the hope that the spirit of giving will capture the attention of people who’ve just enjoyed a shopping spree, encouraging them to donate and volunteer.

Giving Tuesday marks the start of The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2023, which will run for one week until the 5th of December. Action Tutoring is taking part in the challenge for the fourth time, with our biggest target yet!

Our Big Give Christmas Challenge 2023

The Big Give Christmas Challenge is the UK’s largest match-funding campaign. A match-funded campaign consists of a “match-fund” pot that is used to double online donations made during campaign week. This means that one donation has twice the impact! 

Our target this year is bigger than ever – £6,000. From 28th November – 5th December, any amount we raise will be doubled from our pledge fund, generously added to by our pledgers and champion funders, the Scouloudi Foundation.

The raised amount will go towards vital programme delivery, providing pupils with high-quality workbooks and noise-cancelling headphones, and tutors with enhanced DBS checks.

#YouInspiredMe: The power of educators

Our 2023 Big Give Christmas Challenge is on the theme #YouInspiredMe, spotlighting the remarkable influence of teachers and tutors on the lives of young individuals and the enduring impact of their efforts well into adulthood. We want to thank these exceptional educators whilst recognising the importance of education during this festive time of giving.

We firmly believe that everyone possesses something unique to give, whether it’s their skills, knowledge, money, time, or simply their voice to champion a cause close to their heart.

The recent challenges with giving against the growing need

We all recognise that the past year has brought its own set of challenges. A global pandemic, rising inflation, and the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza have all put a strain on people’s capacity to give. According to the CAF’s 2023 UK Giving Report, giving has still not recovered to pre-pandemic levels and the cost-of-living crisis has led a quarter of people to alter their charitable behaviours or are planning on doing so. 

Volunteering levels have also declined, with 1.6 million fewer volunteers than five years ago.

Despite these challenges, our pupils need support more than ever. The academic attainment gap is at its widest in a decade and the demand for tutoring in schools continues to rise. We cannot stand idly by as disadvantaged children struggle to meet expected performance standards and face limited opportunities for future careers.

Your contribution, no matter how big or small, can make a lasting impact. This Giving Tuesday and for the Big Give Christmas Challenge, support us to ensure more children receive necessary academic support.

How to give and support our work

Donate to our Big Give Christmas Challenge on our campaign page from November 28th to December 5th. Don’t forget that your donation will be doubled! One donation equals twice the impact.

Volunteer as a tutor – You can tutor students in English or maths at primary or secondary levels, either online or in-person, dedicating just one hour per week.

If you’re unable to give your time or make a donation, you can still support our cause by spreading the word. Share this blog with friends, family, and on your social media platforms, using our hashtag #YouInspiredMe

As we celebrate Giving Tuesday, let’s continue to support the causes close to our hearts. Kindness and acts of generosity are essential to empowering children and young people to unlock their academic potential. Together, we can make a difference and inspire change.