family where we were taught that anything was possible
anything was possible
anything was possible my mother is a very proactive woman and
my mother is a very proactive woman and
my mother is a very proactive woman and a woman of many many talents a go-getter
a woman of many many talents a go-getter
a woman of many many talents a go-getter if you will from being a full-time mom
if you will from being a full-time mom
if you will from being a full-time mom to going back to work in a career as a
to going back to work in a career as a
to going back to work in a career as a designer to opening restaurants helping
designer to opening restaurants helping
designer to opening restaurants helping orphaned children find their way back to
orphaned children find their way back to
orphaned children find their way back to families to being a superstar mom and
families to being a superstar mom and
families to being a superstar mom and always having a healthy meal on the
always having a healthy meal on the
always having a healthy meal on the table at the end of every school day she
table at the end of every school day she
table at the end of every school day she kind of had a knack for everything now
kind of had a knack for everything now
kind of had a knack for everything now she wasn’t perfect and we definitely had
she wasn’t perfect and we definitely had
she wasn’t perfect and we definitely had our moments but there was something
our moments but there was something
our moments but there was something about her character that just said
about her character that just said
about her character that just said here’s a challenge or here’s an
here’s a challenge or here’s an
here’s a challenge or here’s an opportunity and there’s nothing that’s
opportunity and there’s nothing that’s
opportunity and there’s nothing that’s going to stop me from getting to the
going to stop me from getting to the
going to stop me from getting to the other side of it I am very much my
other side of it I am very much my
other side of it I am very much my mother’s daughter I don’t see challenges
mother’s daughter I don’t see challenges
mother’s daughter I don’t see challenges as anything but an opportunity to grow I
as anything but an opportunity to grow I
as anything but an opportunity to grow I have many dreams probably too many to
have many dreams probably too many to
have many dreams probably too many to count and I remember coming out of
count and I remember coming out of
count and I remember coming out of university and wondering what I would do
university and wondering what I would do
university and wondering what I would do with my life because I wanted to be a
with my life because I wanted to be a
with my life because I wanted to be a business operator a technology leader an
business operator a technology leader an
business operator a technology leader an entrepreneur a yoga teacher a health
entrepreneur a yoga teacher a health
entrepreneur a yoga teacher a health food blogger a product developer a
food blogger a product developer a
food blogger a product developer a product manager I mean the list was so
product manager I mean the list was so
product manager I mean the list was so long I didn’t know where I was gonna
long I didn’t know where I was gonna
long I didn’t know where I was gonna start and how a person could do so much
start and how a person could do so much
start and how a person could do so much in one lifetime it was really actually
in one lifetime it was really actually
in one lifetime it was really actually very overwhelming to think about all of
very overwhelming to think about all of
very overwhelming to think about all of the things I wanted to do and you know I
the things I wanted to do and you know I
the things I wanted to do and you know I stopped and said okay let’s go one level
stopped and said okay let’s go one level
stopped and said okay let’s go one level deeper let’s go one level deeper than
deeper let’s go one level deeper than
deeper let’s go one level deeper than what you want to be and think about who
what you want to be and think about who
what you want to be and think about who it is that you are and what you want out
it is that you are and what you want out
it is that you are and what you want out of life and well for me it was clear I
of life and well for me it was clear I
of life and well for me it was clear I had a lot of different interests and
had a lot of different interests and
had a lot of different interests and more than anything I wanted to be part
more than anything I wanted to be part
more than anything I wanted to be part of a community of people like myself
of a community of people like myself
of a community of people like myself exploring these interests in these
exploring these interests in these
exploring these interests in these projects I wanted to engage with the
projects I wanted to engage with the
projects I wanted to engage with the world’s biggest problems and I wanted to
world’s biggest problems and I wanted to
world’s biggest problems and I wanted to be part of those solutions I wanted to
be part of those solutions I wanted to
be part of those solutions I wanted to have fun I wanted to have dynamic
have fun I wanted to have dynamic
have fun I wanted to have dynamic experiences and I didn’t want to feel
experiences and I didn’t want to feel
experiences and I didn’t want to feel too committed to any one project so that
too committed to any one project so that
too committed to any one project so that I’d never be in a position that I
I’d never be in a position that I
I’d never be in a position that I couldn’t come back from traditional
couldn’t come back from traditional
couldn’t come back from traditional charity models that we know today are
charity models that we know today are
charity models that we know today are wonderful and they work for many reasons
wonderful and they work for many reasons
wonderful and they work for many reasons but they only appeal to a certain group
but they only appeal to a certain group
but they only appeal to a certain group and these groups include amateur runners
and these groups include amateur runners
and these groups include amateur runners and athletes office bakers high
and athletes office bakers high
and athletes office bakers high net-worth families institutions moms and
net-worth families institutions moms and
net-worth families institutions moms and those beautiful people who give up on a
those beautiful people who give up on a
those beautiful people who give up on a higher standard of living to go and work
higher standard of living to go and work
higher standard of living to go and work inside these organizations now that
inside these organizations now that
inside these organizations now that charity model basically misses all the
charity model basically misses all the
charity model basically misses all the professionals out there who want to give
professionals out there who want to give
professionals out there who want to give in a more meaningful way than just
in a more meaningful way than just
in a more meaningful way than just running a race and I’ll tell you I’ve
running a race and I’ll tell you I’ve
running a race and I’ll tell you I’ve done it I’ve run a bunch of half
done it I’ve run a bunch of half
done it I’ve run a bunch of half marathons and it’s great fun you take
marathons and it’s great fun you take
marathons and it’s great fun you take pictures with your friends and you give
pictures with your friends and you give
pictures with your friends and you give a bit of money but frankly it’s not that
a bit of money but frankly it’s not that
a bit of money but frankly it’s not that meaningful for someone who maybe you
meaningful for someone who maybe you
meaningful for someone who maybe you know dreamt of being a human rights
know dreamt of being a human rights
know dreamt of being a human rights activist at one point in her life and
activist at one point in her life and
activist at one point in her life and this this charity model I would argue is
this this charity model I would argue is
this this charity model I would argue is broken for the masses and why is it
broken for the masses and why is it
broken for the masses and why is it broken
broken
broken well charities aren’t asking themselves
well charities aren’t asking themselves
well charities aren’t asking themselves the difficult questions about how young
the difficult questions about how young
the difficult questions about how young people and how professionals want to
people and how professionals want to
people and how professionals want to give and they’re not thinking about it
give and they’re not thinking about it
give and they’re not thinking about it in the kind of standard design based
in the kind of standard design based
in the kind of standard design based problem-solving framework they’re
problem-solving framework they’re
problem-solving framework they’re thinking about it in the traditional
thinking about it in the traditional
thinking about it in the traditional sense and they’re thinking about well
sense and they’re thinking about well
sense and they’re thinking about well how can we raise as much funds as
how can we raise as much funds as
how can we raise as much funds as possible well I’m here to tell you that
possible well I’m here to tell you that
possible well I’m here to tell you that model doesn’t work for our generation
model doesn’t work for our generation
model doesn’t work for our generation and through the last few years and the
and through the last few years and the
and through the last few years and the work that we’ve been doing with my group
work that we’ve been doing with my group
work that we’ve been doing with my group of friends and my friends our friends
of friends and my friends our friends
of friends and my friends our friends and now a larger community of people in
and now a larger community of people in
and now a larger community of people in London and in Europe we’ve learned that
London and in Europe we’ve learned that
London and in Europe we’ve learned that actually our generation wants to give in
actually our generation wants to give in
actually our generation wants to give in a very different way and how is it that
a very different way and how is it that
a very different way and how is it that we want to give so first and foremost
we want to give so first and foremost
we want to give so first and foremost it’s that community piece we want to
it’s that community piece we want to
it’s that community piece we want to give as part of a community of
give as part of a community of
give as part of a community of like-minded people second we want to
like-minded people second we want to
like-minded people second we want to professionally and personally develop
professionally and personally develop
professionally and personally develop ourselves as we give within this
ourselves as we give within this
ourselves as we give within this community third we want our giving to be
community third we want our giving to be
community third we want our giving to be flexible so yes we want to give money
flexible so yes we want to give money
flexible so yes we want to give money but we want to give money in the way
but we want to give money in the way
but we want to give money in the way that we would like to give we don’t want
that we would like to give we don’t want
that we would like to give we don’t want to be stopped outside the tube we don’t
to be stopped outside the tube we don’t
to be stopped outside the tube we don’t want to be called we want to engage with
want to be called we want to engage with
want to be called we want to engage with you the way that works for us for we
you the way that works for us for we
you the way that works for us for we want to do it in a meaningful way I
want to do it in a meaningful way I
want to do it in a meaningful way I don’t want to just kind of tap in and
don’t want to just kind of tap in and
don’t want to just kind of tap in and tap out of the things I care about I
tap out of the things I care about I
tap out of the things I care about I want to be engaged in the dialogue I
want to be engaged in the dialogue I
want to be engaged in the dialogue I want to be an ambassador for your cause
want to be an ambassador for your cause
want to be an ambassador for your cause and I want to feel like I’m
and I want to feel like I’m
and I want to feel like I’m part of the story and most young people
part of the story and most young people
part of the story and most young people in some way shape or form do engage and
in some way shape or form do engage and
in some way shape or form do engage and do become part of the story but they
do become part of the story but they
do become part of the story but they don’t then action it and finally going
don’t then action it and finally going
don’t then action it and finally going back to the experiences at number five
back to the experiences at number five
back to the experiences at number five we want to be able to have varied and
we want to be able to have varied and
we want to be able to have varied and dynamic experiences as we give I
dynamic experiences as we give I
dynamic experiences as we give I understand what it is that’s broken
understand what it is that’s broken
understand what it is that’s broken about the model I want to in some way
about the model I want to in some way
about the model I want to in some way try to be part of this story so I’m
try to be part of this story so I’m
try to be part of this story so I’m gonna build a bridge for myself I wanted
gonna build a bridge for myself I wanted
gonna build a bridge for myself I wanted to fundraise I wanted to advocate for
to fundraise I wanted to advocate for
to fundraise I wanted to advocate for the causes I cared about I want it to be
the causes I cared about I want it to be
the causes I cared about I want it to be really informed about what was going on
really informed about what was going on
really informed about what was going on and help educate my peers as well and I
and help educate my peers as well and I
and help educate my peers as well and I wanted to contribute my services in time
wanted to contribute my services in time
wanted to contribute my services in time without actually quitting my day job and
without actually quitting my day job and
without actually quitting my day job and I was gonna build a bridge to do that so
I was gonna build a bridge to do that so
I was gonna build a bridge to do that so the bridge that has now been built is is
the bridge that has now been built is is
the bridge that has now been built is is one where anyone can give and anyone can
one where anyone can give and anyone can
one where anyone can give and anyone can come up with their own ideas and come to
come up with their own ideas and come to
come up with their own ideas and come to our group and say I want to bring this
our group and say I want to bring this
our group and say I want to bring this idea to life so here’s a little bit
idea to life so here’s a little bit
idea to life so here’s a little bit about how it works and I hope that more
about how it works and I hope that more
about how it works and I hope that more and more people of our generation will
and more people of our generation will
and more people of our generation will think about the bridges that they need
think about the bridges that they need
think about the bridges that they need to put in place to make what they need
to put in place to make what they need
to put in place to make what they need come to life and to make it work for
come to life and to make it work for
come to life and to make it work for them going back to those kind of four
them going back to those kind of four
them going back to those kind of four areas I decided who’s going to build a
areas I decided who’s going to build a
areas I decided who’s going to build a community of people that we’re going to
community of people that we’re going to
community of people that we’re going to help me fundraise advocate educate and
help me fundraise advocate educate and
help me fundraise advocate educate and donate my services and that community
donate my services and that community
donate my services and that community was going to be built based on common
was going to be built based on common
was going to be built based on common values not socioeconomic background not
values not socioeconomic background not
values not socioeconomic background not where we went to uni and not what
where we went to uni and not what
where we went to uni and not what country we were from but genuine
country we were from but genuine
country we were from but genuine interest in the future and genuine
interest in the future and genuine
interest in the future and genuine interest in being part of the change
interest in being part of the change
interest in being part of the change that community was then going to have
that community was then going to have
that community was then going to have opportunities within it for different
opportunities within it for different
opportunities within it for different people to lead initiatives it was going
people to lead initiatives it was going
people to lead initiatives it was going to allow for crowd-sourced ideas so that
to allow for crowd-sourced ideas so that
to allow for crowd-sourced ideas so that anyone off the street with a great idea
anyone off the street with a great idea
anyone off the street with a great idea could come to us and say I want to bring
could come to us and say I want to bring
could come to us and say I want to bring this idea to life and we as a team could
this idea to life and we as a team could
this idea to life and we as a team could work together to bring that idea to life
work together to bring that idea to life
work together to bring that idea to life and it was going to allow people who
and it was going to allow people who
and it was going to allow people who work in finance to dabble in the art
work in finance to dabble in the art
work in finance to dabble in the art industry outside of work it was going to
industry outside of work it was going to
industry outside of work it was going to allow people who work in the art
allow people who work in the art
allow people who work in the art industry to be human rights activists
industry to be human rights activists
industry to be human rights activists outside of their careers in the art
outside of their careers in the art
outside of their careers in the art world and the point here is to try to
world and the point here is to try to
world and the point here is to try to make a bridge that works for you so my
make a bridge that works for you so my
make a bridge that works for you so my bridge is going to look very different
bridge is going to look very different
bridge is going to look very different to the next person’s bridge and this
to the next person’s bridge and this
to the next person’s bridge and this model allows flexibility
model allows flexibility
model allows flexibility within that and why does it work because
within that and why does it work because
within that and why does it work because these things become your project your
these things become your project your
these things become your project your initiatives your friends your charity
initiatives your friends your charity
initiatives your friends your charity and guess what you don’t have to quit
and guess what you don’t have to quit
and guess what you don’t have to quit your day job
your day job
your day job or leave what you’re doing full-time to
or leave what you’re doing full-time to
or leave what you’re doing full-time to be able to do those things and on top of
be able to do those things and on top of
be able to do those things and on top of that you get to make charity cool
that you get to make charity cool
that you get to make charity cool the way your friends define cool which
the way your friends define cool which
the way your friends define cool which could be very different to the way my
could be very different to the way my
could be very different to the way my friends or the next person define cool
friends or the next person define cool
friends or the next person define cool it’s been now three years we’re in three
it’s been now three years we’re in three
it’s been now three years we’re in three countries and we have hosted 50-plus
countries and we have hosted 50-plus
countries and we have hosted 50-plus initiatives mobilize thousands of young
initiatives mobilize thousands of young
initiatives mobilize thousands of young professionals and raised very shy of 1
professionals and raised very shy of 1
professionals and raised very shy of 1 million pounds now for UNICEF’s children
million pounds now for UNICEF’s children
million pounds now for UNICEF’s children of syria appeal and why does it work
of syria appeal and why does it work
of syria appeal and why does it work well because I became aware of my needs
well because I became aware of my needs
well because I became aware of my needs and then decided I was gonna build a way
and then decided I was gonna build a way
and then decided I was gonna build a way for myself to fulfill those needs and a
for myself to fulfill those needs and a
for myself to fulfill those needs and a model that’s flexible enough for other
model that’s flexible enough for other
model that’s flexible enough for other people to be able to fulfill their needs
people to be able to fulfill their needs
people to be able to fulfill their needs whether it’s fundraising or donating of
whether it’s fundraising or donating of
whether it’s fundraising or donating of services are coming up with a incredibly
services are coming up with a incredibly
services are coming up with a incredibly engaging social media campaign that ends
engaging social media campaign that ends
engaging social media campaign that ends up selling 15,000 cookbooks off the back
up selling 15,000 cookbooks off the back
up selling 15,000 cookbooks off the back of it we have created a model that
of it we have created a model that
of it we have created a model that enables charity to be yours and enables
enables charity to be yours and enables
enables charity to be yours and enables you to engage with the causes that you
you to engage with the causes that you
you to engage with the causes that you care about in the way that you care
care about in the way that you care
care about in the way that you care about them I encourage all of you to
about them I encourage all of you to
about them I encourage all of you to have a think about that as you go out
have a think about that as you go out
have a think about that as you go out there into the world and think about how
there into the world and think about how
there into the world and think about how how you’re going to give back and how
how you’re going to give back and how
how you’re going to give back and how you’re going to engage and on the other
you’re going to engage and on the other
you’re going to engage and on the other side of it I think the charities that we
side of it I think the charities that we
side of it I think the charities that we all want to support will welcome our
all want to support will welcome our
all want to support will welcome our bridges we just need to give our word
bridges we just need to give our word
bridges we just need to give our word stand by our word and make sure that
stand by our word and make sure that
stand by our word and make sure that we’re engaging our peers and our hearts
we’re engaging our peers and our hearts
we’re engaging our peers and our hearts in these endeavors and in these projects
in these endeavors and in these projects
in these endeavors and in these projects thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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