Action for Children Community Poll

In a first for a UK children’s charity, Action for Children today (9 February) launches my.actionforchildren.org.uk.  This new website provides a simple way for people to choose where and how to help children across the UK. 
(Please note: the website can be viewed but is embargoed until 00.01, 9 February.) 

The launch coincides with the publication of a ComRes poll(1) of 2,000 people commissioned by the charity (full regional breakdown available). It shows

• 77% of people who are concerned about children in their local community either don’t know how to help, or don’t have the time.
• 71% would like to have more information about how to help children in their area.
• People from Northern Ireland are the most likely to be worried about children in their local area, with 73% saying they are concerned.

People welcome the opportunity to help locally, but would like more information

• 89% prefer to donate money when they have a choice of what they are contributing to.
• 86% want to know specifically what their donations buy.
• Young adults, aged 18-24, are most likely to be interested in contributing to practical items to help children in their area (70% agree). 
• In a surprise finding, most people (68%) revealed that they don’t feel that they are involved in their local community at all.

Action for Children is asking people to log on to my.actionforchildren.org.uk, put in their postcode and decide who and where to help.  It’s possible to contribute as little as £2 to football kit or dancing lessons for young carers, or more towards a minibus or washing machine to help disabled children. 

ComRes interviewed 2116 UK adults between 28th and 31st January 2011 online. Data were weighted to be demographically representative of all UK adults.