Children’s charity Action for Street Kids is merging with Toybox in order to work together to 'help support more children living or working on the street'.
Action for Street Kids, which last year had an income of over £400,000, is being incorporated into larger orgainsation Toybox, with the Toybox name and branding to remain the same. Last year Toybox had an income of over £1.5m.
Both charities work globally in some of the world’s toughest and most dangerous places supporting children who find the streets their home.
Lynne Morris, Toybox’s chief executive, said: “In joining Action for Street Kids’ programmes to those of Toybox we will be extending our geographical and operational reach, working to positively impact and change the lives of exploited children globally. The priority of both organisations in this partnership is to ensure that we protect the delivery of all our vital services to those children who need it the most.
“This is such an exciting opportunity, together Action for Street Kids and Toybox can reach more street children – seems like a perfect partnership to me – doing more – reaching more children and being more efficient in the process.”
Morris will lead the merged organisation and the Toybox executive team will also remain the same. The Action for Street Kids executive director “requested voluntary redundancy as part of the merger and therefore will not be transferring over”, a spokeswoman said. Another member of staff at Action for Street Kids also took voluntary redundancy.
The Toybox board will remain the same, but the charity said conversations are in place about Action for Street Kids Board members transferring over to join the Toybox board.
Creating a 'stronger force for good'
David Beck, Action for Street Kids executive director, said: “Opportunities like this don’t come along often and when they do you need to seize them. By joining Action for Street Kids with Toybox we are creating a stronger force for good that can speak for children who are on the streets and help rescue more children from a life of hunger, abuse and despair.”
A spokeswoman from Toybox said that the merger has taken place at this time because both boards believe that “in this current context, to deliver the best possible outcomes for children living or working on the street we need to work together”.
She said that working together will mean a more “deeper, more sustained positive impact on street children globally”.
Adding: “Our missions and visions are aligned and our widespread geographical locations mean that we are able to reach more children and we are really excited by this opportunity. Whilst the impact becomes greater by joining together, we are also becoming more cost effective as we pool our resources within the UK.”
Toybox said that its strategic plan for 2017-2020 is to look to enter into strategic partnerships to stop the exploitation of children. It said that based on the beginnings of its success with its partnership with Action for Street Kids, and its income growth in the last financial year, it is looking forward to supporting more children in the world’s most dangerous cities.
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