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August 2021
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 We are pleased to announce that we are working with Lion’s Head Global Partners to highlight and support some of the most innovative early-stage clean energy startups coming out of Sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this partnership is to assist Africa’s clean energy tech entrepreneurs in achieving their full potential, to empower diverse perspectives to contribute to the international discussion of Net Zero and the Extinction Rebellion and to spotlight the development of globally relevant innovative technology from African startups.
Over the past 5 years, Afritech XYZ has successfully collaborated with the UN World Food Programme, British Council, International Trace Centre, international investors, Amazon, Google, Hogan Lovells and others to effectively support African tech entrepreneurs. After researching the needs of African tech entrepreneurs we recognised that two of the key elements missing in the support ecosystem available to them is publicity and direct links to expertise, locally and internationally. Our Innovation Prize allows us to select a small group of startups (5) that have the potential to solve a pan-African or global problem and provide them with access to experts and opportunities that will challenge them to think bigger, build quicker and more sustainably. Through the prize, we also offer a small amount of cash to the winner (£1000) to help them build out their innovative technology even further. This prize is happily partnered with Lion’s Head Global Partners. Established in 2008, Lion’s Head Global Partners is a leading investment banking and asset management firm bringing innovative financial solutions to emerging and frontier markets, with a specific focus on Africa and the Middle East. Regulated by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority and UAE’s Dubai Financial Services Authority, they provide investment management, financial advisory and capital raising services across multiple sectors and geographies. With offices in London, Nairobi, Lagos, New York and Dubai, they leverage their local market understanding and global investor networks, to deliver the best financial solutions to their client's diverse challenges. They combine a ‘client-first’ culture with a long term sustainability mindset to deliver outstanding products and services, whilst upholding the highest professional and ethical standards. The Lion’s Head Asset Management team provides fund management services to partner DFIs, impact and institutional investors. They currently manage four pioneering funds, including three Africa-focussed, clean energy orientated funds, the Off-Grid Energy Fund (OGEF), the Facility for Energy Inclusion (FEI) and Africa GoGreen (AGG). They now have over US$550 million of assets under management with investments in 18 African countries, giving them unique insights into local market activity. They are also creating a new jointly-owned venture fund that invests in fast-growing, tech-enabled businesses across Africa. Their Investment Banking group provides bespoke financing solutions and skilled transaction execution to sovereign, corporate, donor and public sector clients across a wide variety of key sectors, including healthcare, technology, infrastructure, power & energy, financial services and sustainable finance. Our mission with Afritech XYZ is to support tech startups to ensure that they are closing the skills and opportunity gaps that will ensure the forward movement of their innovative startups through effective mentorship based training programmes. Our last cohort of finalists has gone on to build significant relationships with investors in the UK and USA. The cohort of finalists before them have gone on to raise more than £3M in funding to develop their startups further. This partnership with Lion’s Head Global Partners has the potential to transform the trajectories of our finalist startups in just a few months. Our upcoming Clean Energy Tech Innovation prize will run between August 15th and November 15th 2021. The startup criteria
To register your interest in the Innovation Prize, please fill in this form. By September 15th, 2021. To find out more about Lion’s Head Global Partners please visit their website or connect with them on LinkedIn.
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 We are delighted to announce that we have accepted an invitation onto the London & Partners Mayor’s International Business Programme (MIBP), supported by the Mayor of London. The programme champions London-based scale-ups in their efforts to expand internationally by providing access to mentorship, expert advice, virtual trade missions, focused e-workshops and events, as well as introductions to potential new business partners.
Dhaval Gore, Head of the Mayor’s International Business Programme at London & Partners, said: “I am delighted to welcome Do it Now Now to the Mayor’s International Business Programme (MIBP). To date, the MIBP has helped more than 1000 high-growth London companies win business in international markets, creating more than 1700 jobs for the global economy. We are extremely proud to be shining a light on what London’s fastest-growing businesses have to offer overseas.” Commenting on Do it Now Now’s inclusion, our CEO, Bayo Adelaja said: “I’m excited to be taking part in this prestigious programme and for the opportunity to collaborate and share knowledge with some amazing business leaders over the next 12 months. Do it Now Now has experienced tremendous growth in the last year and our team has been proud to deliver critical services to Black-led organisations working hard to support their communities. We hope our participation in the Mayor’s International Business Programme will facilitate our organisation's further growth and capacity to deliver greater impact.” The MIBP welcomes a new cohort every quarter, with notable alumni including companies such as Monzo, Revolut, Elvie and Bloom & Wild. Do it Now Now will have its first opportunity to meet fellow cohort members, programme partners and mentors at the MIBP’s virtual Cohort 20 Launch Week starting on Monday 12 July. Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the MIBP is supported by five lead partners: Ciklum, Globalization Partners, Microsoft, Taylor Wessing and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati. For more information about the free, 12-month programme and how it supports London businesses, visit: bit.ly/aboutmibp For more information about the work we are doing and the organisations that we work with, please sign up for our newsletter.
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Equality 4 Black Nurses is tackling racial discrimination in the Health Sector | Common Call19/7/2021  In this spotlight article we are shining a light on Common Call grantee, Equality 4 Black Nurses.
Many Black and Ethnic Minority nurses have long experienced racism and discrimination in their work, with conversations of their experiences typically shared in private. In 2019 it was reported that 17 per cent of nurses experienced workplace discrimination and racism, from their manager, team leader and sometimes colleagues. This percentage rose by 1.3 per cent from the previous year and has been on the rise every year (WRES 2019 & 2020 report). As infection rates of COVID climbed throughout 2020, along with the rapid rate at which people were being hospitalised, many nurses stepped forward to help contain the virus. From student nurses being drafted in early to assist as well as retired nurses, numerous heroic healthcare professionals put their own lives at risk in order to save the hundreds of thousands of lives endangered by this little understood virus. Shockingly, many of these selfless professionals were on the receiving end of vile racist abuse from patients and internal discrimination, while risking their lives on the frontline. Within the wider nursing community there has a been an overwhelming response to the racism and discrimination experienced by nurses prior to and during the pandemic, with many completely fed up with their treatment. In response to this maltreatment, as well as the George Floyd murder and the subsequent Black Lives Matter movement, Neomi Bennett set up Equality 4 Black Nurses. The registered Nurse Practitioner founded the organisation in 2020 to ‘bring about positive change by lobbying employers and government to reduce and eradicate racial discrimination in the healthcare sector.’ Neomi tells us: “Although there are equality, diversity and inclusion measures in place within the NHS to protect nurses and patients from racism, unfortunately it seems that those people who are in charge of NHS departments lack the knowledge, expertise and insight to recognise what racism is and its impact on the individual. Equality 4 Black Nurses has discovered the uncomfortable truth that “racism within the NHS has become embedded within the organisation’s culture and normalized so much that racist behaviours such as microaggressions, gaslighting and bullying has become part of the British healthcare institution.” The percentage of nurses who have experienced racism and discrimination while caring for the sick during the pandemic has yet to be officially documented, but individual experiences are being reported constantly via social media and through anecdotes told in group chats. One such example is that of the daughter of a nurse, who two months ago tweeted a screengrab of racialized language used by a hiring practice nurse towards her mother. The tweet has been liked over 51 thousand times and has generated thousands of comments of support for her mum, as well as people with their own stories on how racism in the NHS has impacted their own lives. One student nurse tells of her experiences of racism from not just patients but also her lecturers. Commenting on the incident, Neomi says: “We need accountability, and we would like to see the nurse who was responsible for the written content to be struck off the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register and for her employers to sack her without notice for gross misconduct. They pose a risk to Black patients and in a nursing environment this could prove fatal, as their actions could be the difference between life and death for a Black patient. The measures the NHS needs to employ to protect Black nurses is to allow Equality 4 Black Nurses to deliver our tailored training package, which considers unconscious bias, microaggressions, cultural awareness and Black nurses lived experiences.” The support that nurses such as Neomi and institutions like Equality 4 Black Nurses provide for their fellow professionals is vital, offering a safe space for nurses to share their experiences. It is essential that as a community we continue to support Black-led organisations which look after and care for those who take care of us. It is why we continue to support Black people with lived experience of key issues like this so that they can continue to tackle issues that shouldn’t be part of their working lives. We are proud funders of Equality 4 Black Nurses and we look forward to the deeply rooted impact they will accomplish in the years to come. For the latest news and updates about our work supporting impactful organisations and across all our initiatives, sign up for our newsletter.
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 Yesterday, after the England Euro 2021 loss, Bukayo Saka, a 19 year old player, was digitally flooded with racially motivated threats in the comment sections of his social media posts. Much worse has likely found its way into his direct messages. His fellow players Raheem Sterling, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford have also been hit with volatile racist diatribe. We stand with Bukayo, Raheem, Jadon and Marcus.
Local councils across the country have issued alerts about their fears over increased rates of domestic violence correlating with the times of the England matches, with abuse surging by 38% when England lost in previous world cups. Similar surges have been occurring year-on-year with regards to football related racist abuse online and physical attacks in England rising by 50% last year. We also stand with the people across the country affected by the violence displayed online or in their homes over the past 24 hours. We all deserve better.
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Delivering enterprise support for Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Ideas and Pioneers Grantees | Clients5/7/2021  Do it Now Now has enjoyed a long working partnership with the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, having received our first grant from their Ideas and Pioneers Fund in 2019. As such we are thrilled to now be responsible for the running of the support programme attached to the Ideas and Pioneers Fund.
The Paul Hamlyn Foundation Ideas and Pioneers Fund provides grants of up to £15,000 to support people with a vision of a better society to explore their ideas for change. Paul Hamlyn Foundation believes there is an urgent need to support people who are most affected by systemic oppression and or discrimination. Predominantly, “Black, Asian and other groups who experience racism, deaf, disabled and neurodiverse people who experience the effects of ableism, those who identify as sitting at the intersections of several minoritized identities as well as people experiencing poverty.” Phase one of this enterprise support delivery contract, that will be responsible for training 40 grantees each year, was a detailed research project. We interviewed current and former grantees of the fund as well as held focus groups with potential grantees and others currently engaged in the grant process with Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Through this process we worked to understand the grantees and their development needs, being mindful of both developing the individual and their ideas. We worked to distill the biggest challenges facing grantees, such as understanding and having confidence to run their organisations from a lived experience background as well as understanding how to access funding or revenue options, so that their journey as pioneers will lead to making the changes they want to see in the world. Commenting on why we were chosen to develop and deliver this programme of enterprise support, Jake Leeper, Grants Manager at Paul Hamlyn Foundation said: "Do it Now Now was built by an ambitious team that are determined to make change. This is exactly the ethos of the Ideas and Pioneers Fund, and is central to why we wanted to work with them. They don’t just talk the talk but have walked the walk, and we know that these experiences will be invaluable while they support our grantees. We hope our grantees will benefit from the breadth and depth of the sessions, which DINN have tailored to the needs of the Fund. We can’t wait to get started, and I know everyone at DINN feels exactly the same." Over the next year, we’ll be providing a number of workshops on core skills, delivering specialist one on one advice sessions, training workshops and creating an online community for grantees to access and connect with their peers. We are excited to be part of Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s ongoing mission to create a society where the disempowered are supported to bring their visions for a better world to life. For the latest news and updates about our work for clients and across all our initiatives, sign up for our newsletter.
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 What does it take to create a pro-bono practice that is welcoming and accepting to all? This was the question for HL BaSE, otherwise known as Hogan Lovells Business and Social Enterprise, which is a pro-bono arm for the international law firm. When Do it Now Now partnered with the firm, the aim was to develop an inclusive pro bono program that would provide world-class expertise to innovators and disruptors in the social economy space.
The training session Do it Now Now’s provided built upon the principles of HL BaSE, which is underpinned by the UN Sustainable Development Goal 16 of Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. In 2020, the firm spent 180,000+ pro bono hours to achieve a lasting impact for social justice and social enterprise innovators. The BaSE practice has supported over 100 businesses a year, and in 2020 it helped 140 impact organisations. It continues to deepen its focus on offering services to a broader cross-section of pro-bono clients. As part of the firm’s widening reach, it wants to develop a robust and inclusive practice to help disrupters from underserved communities achieve their goals. Do it Now Now was able to offer guidance to support the practice in its work towards these aims. When asked about why it’s essential to build inclusive programmes into their practice, Senior Associate Fenella Chambers said, “Access to our programmes has always been a focus, and the session highlighted how inclusion is so much more than access and that in order to provide the best and most impactful programmes that we can, inclusion is essential. It is also about designing programmes that recognise the shared value of working with our pro bono clients and how it is an exchange of expertise and experience.” HL BaSE has also provided pro bono advice to entrepreneurs who are part of Do it Now Now’s Afritech XYZ initiative. The legal advice has proved invaluable for the African tech entrepreneurs being supported by Do it Now Now - most in the very early stages of their business journey. HL BaSE’s determination to create an inclusive practice has helped people feel at ease and listened to throughout the process. Overall, Fenella Chambers feels Do it Now Now’s training has offered clear guidance about how the firm can continue to make its programmes more accessible by centering inclusivity at the core of its offerings. Through Do it Now Now’s practical training, HL BaSE was immediately able to implement some of the steps covered in the session. A highlight for the practice was remembering the importance of building flexibility into programmes and encouraging honest and open feedback. With a renewed zeal for championing inclusivity within HL BaSE, Do it Now Now is thrilled to be part of Hogan Lovells continued journey towards a more inclusive future. For the latest news and updates about our work for clients and across all our initiatives, sign up for our newsletter.
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 Youth charity Just For Kids Law has joined forces with Do it Now Now to broaden equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of its organisation.
Just For Kids Law’s work centres on helping children and young people promote and defend their legal rights. By fighting for legal reform and representing the best interests of the young people they come into contact with, Just For Kids Law is positively impacting young lives in Britain. Given the organisation’s role in advocating for young people from a diverse range of backgrounds, its commitment to creating an inclusive environment is critical to its work. Do it Now Now is supporting Just For Kids Law by helping the charity identify organisational processes that could reduce engagement with, impact in and access to underserved communities. Through Do it Now Now’s training, Just For Kids Law will be supported in achieving their goals for a more inclusive organisation for now and beyond. The 6-month consultancy and training being provided by Do it Now Now centres on strengthening different organisational pillars to create systems that operate with equality, diversity and inclusion at the centre of change initiatives. By focusing on substantial change that goes beyond what could be considered performative, Do it Now Now provided guidance and direction specific to the needs and ambitions of Just for Kids Law. From broadening the search for clients to adopting meaningful measurements and metrics for improved inclusivity, Do it Now Now’s training spanned many issues affecting inclusive organisational change. Topics included how to reach those most in need of support through development initiatives and how to create an inclusive culture. An important aspect of creating this inclusive culture is creating channels for open and real-time feedback. During our time with Just for Kids Law, we touched upon the importance of senior management being accountable to both trustees and employees to foster a more equal and diverse culture. In addition, our training included a focus on creating a holistic equality, diversity and inclusivity policy that would span, staff, Board, people receiving Just for Kids Law’s services, and their families. Speaking on the partnership, Just for Kids Law’s CEO, Louisa McGeehan, said, “When Just for Kids Law wanted to bring in some consultancy support, we spent quite a lot of time looking for the right organisation to support us. As a charity strongly focused on fighting racism and other forms of discrimination against our young clients, we wanted support that was tailored to where we are in our work on equality, diversity and inclusion. We have a lot of work to do to ensure our internal policies and practices are as strong as our external work and, in this work, relationships and trust really matter. We are enjoying building our relationship with Do it Now Now and have great ambitions for our future.” Given Just for Kids Law’s mission and enthusiasm for creating an inclusive organisation, we’re excited to continue building with them and fostering an environment that keeps inclusion, diversity and equality front and centre of Just for Kids Law’s efforts. For the latest news and updates about our work for clients and across all our initiatives, sign up for our newsletter. |
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