One of the regular questions we get asked is, “Why is Empowering Voices a charity?”
When we came together to discuss what Empowering Voices would do and how it would do it, one of the first things we agreed upon was that it should be democratic, accountable and run by stammerers for stammerers. This led us to decide that a charity could best serve the stammering community.
Some may see the rules of running a charitable organisation as constraints, but we see them as guidelines to help us run a professional organisation to deliver the best possible outcomes for those who depend upon us. Empowering Voices as a charity means:
We are inclusive; everyone with a stammer who wants to learn or practice a costal breathing technique is welcome. We don’t discriminate against people who have taken support elsewhere - we are stammerer-focused, not organisation-focused.
We are trustworthy. As a charity, those who interact with Empowering Voices know that they will be treated well.
We are democratic; trustees agree on the direction of the charity guided by management committees.
We are accountable. Each year, we submit an Annual report and Financial Accounts to the Charity Commission for independent review. Our objectives and outcomes are checked annually.
We have the systems and procedures in place to justify our charitable status; we are insured and have systems for safeguarding privacy, equality, diversity and inclusivity, amongst others. We do things properly.
No one gets paid. Everyone who works for Empowering Voices volunteers their time. An organisation driven by volunteers has an extraordinary passion for success.
The HMRC have special rules for charities; we don’t pay tax and can also reclaim Gift Aid on any donations given to us. More money means more services for stammerers.
Companies like to help us. We have received grants from Microsoft, Wix, and Google. We are also thankful for the support we have received from PayPal, Canva, Justgiving, and Photoshop.
We can apply for grants from businesses, charitable trusts, individuals and the National Lottery. Every pound donated goes directly to helping a stammerer.
We get invited to collaborate on working groups and present at conferences, raising awareness of stammering and promoting Empowering Voices.
Empowering Voices continues to grow thanks to its charitable status, the support of its volunteers, and the awesome backing of those who want to see it thrive.
Get in touch if you want to learn a costal breathing technique to tame your stammer or find a home to hone your technique. We are waiting to hear from you.
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