How to support your LandAid Ambassadors

Who are LandAid Ambassadors?

LandAid Ambassadors are professionals in the property industry, often in the first five to ten years of their career, who are committed to playing a vital role in driving LandAid’s mission to end youth homelessness.

They act as a LandAid representative across each organisation, driving forwards LandAid’s aim to provide 1,000 homes for young people facing homelessness by 2024, by raising vital funds, expanding our pro bono programme, and raising awareness to create an industry-wide movement for social good.

The Ambassador Programme provides your rising talent with an opportunity to put their skills, networks, and passion to great use, helping us to shape an industry based as much on values and social consciousness as on productivity and profit.

How can you best help your Ambassadors to thrive?

Governance

We recommend that the LandAid Ambassador Programme is supported by senior members of staff within your organisation. We know from experience with previous Ambassadors that they are very enthusiastic and keen to create impact. But they need support and cannot do this alone. Taking a top-down approach will ensure appropriate support for Ambassadors to drive this impact forwards in a way that colleagues throughout your organisation will actively listen to.

If your organisation has a CSR committee, dedicated internal comms department, or wider employee networks, we encourage you to help establish lines of communication or regular meetings between such teams and Ambassadors. This will ensure Ambassadors get the right support and access to tools.

Finance

Where possible, it is recommended to set aside a small amount of budget to support Ambassador activity. Giving Ambassadors autonomy over a small budget will enable them to have a higher level of impact. This could be used for Ambassadors to lead fundraising activities for example. You may also wish to combine or set aside a separate amount for staff entries for LandAid-led events such as the annual SleepOut and 10k.

Your overall contribution to LandAid can also play a vital role in driving forwards social value within the property sector, aligning with industry-wide ESG objectives. This could include your partner or supporter donation, fundraising for LandAid-led events, pro bono support and time given by Ambassadors to help combat youth homelessness. These will be included in yearly LandAid impact report data for your organisation.

Staying in touch

As above, senior support is key to success. We recommend that a senior member of staff is chosen to check in on the Ambassadors once every quarter (in line with the quarterly LandAid meetings) to discuss upcoming plans and possible wider support required.

You may also wish to appoint an internal Ambassador Coordinator, for larger organisations with multiple Ambassadors or offices. They can help drive the programme internally and ensure coordination between Ambassadors in different regions across the country.

Leveraging your graduate programme

Integrating the Ambassador Programme as an opportunity for your firm’s graduate or internship scheme is a great way to ensure a pipeline of energetic and enthusiastic people to drive engagement with LandAid internally. It also ensures that your talent develop valuable extra-curricular skills, gain industry relationships and understand the social value the sector can create.

You may wish to consider introducing applications to the Ambassador Programme into the regular process of on boarding of new graduates. Our LandAid team can support with this process.

Benefits of the programme

Alongside the opportunity to have a positive impact on LandAid’s mission, there are numerous benefits of the programme for your employees:

Ambassadors are helping to drive forwards social value within the property sector, aligning with industry-wide ESG objectives.

The role can be added to their CV and LinkedIn profile, gaining important visibility in the industry.

They will become part of a both a national and regional networking community. Wherever they are based across the country, the programme brings together like-minded professionals, working towards a collective cause. Some Ambassadors may be invited to LandAid regional committees, working with industry leaders and expanding their knowledge at a community-led level.

Ambassadors will be invited to attend LandAid fundraising and social events, providing valuable networking opportunities with peers and industry leaders.

The network nature of the programme creates open doors for future collaboration between businesses. It offers a clear opportunity to your organisation to help develop the skills needed to further thrive in the industry.

This means you will be playing a crucial part in shaping the conscious professionals of the future.

Further questions?

Please email ambassadors@landaid.org