Pro Bono Programme How to get involved

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1 Pro Bono Programme How to get involved 1

2 Contents How LandAid Makes a Difference 3 Aims of our Pro Bono Programme 4 Expertise on Offer 5 How the Programme Works 6 Pro Bono Case Studies 8 Your Next Steps 9 Pledge for Professional Partners 10 Code of Conduct 11 For enquiries about LandAid s pro bono programme, please contact: Elizabeth Pearson, Pro Bono Manager: elizabeth.pearson@landaid.org Leah De Silva, Head of Fundraising & Partnerships: leah.desilva@landaid.org

3 How LandAid Makes a Difference LandAid works to improve the lives of children and young people in the UK who experience disadvantage due to their economic or social circumstances. As a charitable foundation supported by the property industry LandAid finds ways to apply the generosity and expertise of the industry to this cause. LandAid s core charitable activity is the provision of grant funding to build, refurbish and maintain buildings of charities working with the UK s most disadvantaged children and young people. We work alongside charity partners for a minimum of 3 years adding value where it is most needed. LandAid also offer free professional advice and services to charities on their property issues. What is pro bono advice? Pro bono is the provision of free professional services. Many of the local charities we support lack the time, expertise or experience to cope with some of the issues that inevitably arise when managing their premises. Our pro bono programme enables them to reshape, sustain and grow their vital services. Today the property industry is more and more sophisticated and committed to making a social impact in our communities. For many of our partners, giving pro bono property advice is an important part of their corporate social responsibility programme. It is hugely rewarding to be directly involved with charities who work in deprived communities and see the real difference pro bono property expertise can make. Being a pro bono giver also provides new opportunities for professional development and experience of working alongside other property experts as part of LandAid s network of partners. 110,000 Worth of pro bono property advice harnessed by LandAid in 2012/13 200,000 The value of pro bono work we aim to deliver in the next 18 months A recent survey found that 40% of UK charities believe that their building is the greatest risk facing their organisation. Yet many of these organisations have very limited resources or access to the skills to maintain, improve or expand their premises. This is one way in which LandAid is making a real and lasting difference. - Joanna Averley, CEO, LandAid 3

Aims of Our Pro Bono Programme In 2013-14, LandAid successfully harnessed the resources and expertise of 16 corporate partners to give over 110,000 of pro bono property advice to 15 charity partners.

management and property legal advice. This advice provided charities with the confidence, support and knowledge to improve their premises.

4 Aims of Our Pro Bono Programme In , LandAid successfully harnessed the resources and expertise of 16 corporate partners to give over 110,000 of pro bono property advice to 15 charity partners. This free expertise included asset management, property searches, lease negotiation and purchase, architectural services, building surveys, cost estimates, tender evaluations, construction, project management and property legal advice. This advice provided charities with the confidence, support and knowledge to improve their premises. The Building Lives Southwark Training Academy is a LandAid-funded project which helps young people into the construction industry There is a clear demand for specialist property advice from charities and a willingness of the property industry to increase their level of pro bono giving. LandAid want to harness these skills and give over 200,000 of pro bono property advice in , increasing this level of giving year on year. With over 70 partners LandAid has both the expertise and connections to broker relationships between pro bono providers and charities to make a difference to vulnerable children and young people in the UK. From July 2014, LandAid are inviting our partners to make a pro bono pledge of at least 10 days of free professional property advice. We will then match the skills on offer to charities requesting assistance. Our aim is to match charities with professionals in their local area, providing a real connection to local communities through a pro bono partnership. Thank you LandAid thanks our supporters who gave pro bono property advice in : Young people at the East Cleveland Youth Housing Trust in Skinningrove, a LandAid charity partner Argent, Berkeley Group, Capita, Gerald Eve, Grovesnor, GVA, Hawkins\Brown, Holtby Turner, Jane Leach Architects, John Robertson Architects, Lambert Smith Hampton, Make, Pinsent Masons, SEGRO, Sir Robert McAlpine and Turley Associates. 4

5 Expertise on Offer LandAid currently offer pro bono advice relating to the following property services: Asset management Property searches Negotiating leases, purchases and business rates Architectural services (feasibility studies, brief development, design advice, planning, construction) Building surveys Cost estimates Tender evaluations Construction advice Project management Property legal advice Our property pro bono work enables charities to: Establish their property needs and prepare an asset management plan Find a new premises and negotiate a lease Develop a brief and look at design options for a building refurbishment or extension Review buildings and grounds and reorganise them more effectively Understand costs of a refurbishment or new build Obtain planning permission Get value for money tendering construction work Manage a building project effectively 10 days Amount of pro bono time we are asking partners to Worth of pro bono property pledge in advice harnessed by LandAid in 2012/13 Examples of pro bono property advice: One off 110,000 engagement A property lawyer negotiates a lease for a new premises or a building surveyor advises on how to get better business rates. Facilitated Workshop A panel of property professionals take part in a workshop looking at the development options for a building or site. Extended engagement One or two professionals work together on a particular stage of a property issue Team engagement A team of three or four individuals (e.g. surveyor, architect, developer and contractor) work with a charity through several stages of a building project The LandAid workshop was a very inspiring experience... it also gave us much needed focus. Having a range of helpful professionals around the table offering advice and ideas has been extremely valuable for the charity. Having no experience in real estate really put the charity at a disadvantage but with the support of LandAid I personally feel more confident about driving this project forward. Tracey Walsh, East End Community Foundation 5

Each company will nominate a named person to work with LandAid and be our key point of contact when responding to pro bono requests, finding out if there is the right locally based individual, skill

6 How the Programme Works 1. Companies agreeing to pledge pro bono property advice will be asked to specify the number of days they will give, the property skills they can offer and where in the country they are available. 2. Each company will nominate a named person to work with LandAid and be our key point of contact when responding to pro bono requests, finding out if there is the right locally based individual, skill and time available within the company to meet a request. LandAid and our pro bono partners visiting the Spotlight Youth Centre in Tower Hamlets, London 3. LandAid will source a range of projects that would benefit from pro bono property advice. These will be from charity partners we already fund, through charities that apply for LandAid s grant funding or through partners. 4. LandAid will work with the charity to define a scope of work for the pro bono skills required, ensuring due diligence is met. 5. LandAid will match the requests with the right pro bono provider or team of providers and in places where there is enough resource. 6. LandAid will manage expectations for both the pro bono providers and charity recipients, in terms of timetable, expertise and outputs required. 7. LandAid will set up the initial engagement, track progress and be a point of contact through the work. 8. Both providers and receivers of pro bono advice must agree with LandAid's Pro Bono Code of Conduct to ensure that best practice and the best outcomes are achieved for both parties. Pro bono advice enables charities to grow their services 9. Pro bono providers will manage the project like a regular commission, keeping a record of the time spent and the rate at which they would normally charge, as if for a fee paying client. These figures will be provided to LandAid in order to assist with impact reporting. 10. LandAid, with inputs from its partners, will report on the impact and success of the projects and write up examples of best practice on our website. 6

How the Programme Works Pro bono supporters 70+ partners pledge at least 10 days of pro bono property advice UK charities Charities 110,000 receiving grants from LandAid and other partners request

.. Asset management Property searches Negotiating leases/purchases Architectural services Building surveys Worth of Cost pro estimates bono property Construction advice advice Project harnessed

7 How the Programme Works Pro bono supporters 70+ partners pledge at least 10 days of pro bono property advice UK charities Charities 110,000 receiving grants from LandAid and other partners request property advice 1 Scope request 5 Record impact 2 Match charity with locally sourced skills 3 Set up engagement Monitor progress 4 Locally sourced expertise... Asset management Property searches Negotiating leases/purchases Architectural services Building surveys Worth of Cost pro estimates bono property Construction advice advice Project harnessed managementby LandAid in 2012/13...enables charities to Assess their property needs Find a new premises Get favourable lease terms Develop a brief/design options Obtain planning permission Understand refurbishment costs Get value for money Manage a project effectively 7

Pro Bono Case Studies Venture Trust Edinburgh and Stirling, Scotland Venture Trust work with some of Scotland s most disadvantaged young people, many of whom are exoffenders.

Pro bono advice from LandAid enabled the Venture Trust to relocate their premises Three LandAid supporters provided the advice: GVA helped find and negotiate terms for the new premises, prepared

8 Pro Bono Case Studies Venture Trust Edinburgh and Stirling, Scotland Venture Trust work with some of Scotland s most disadvantaged young people, many of whom are exoffenders. In March 2013 LandAid brokered pro bono property advice to enable Venture Trust to develop and implement a relocation from Stirling to Edinburgh. Pro bono advice from LandAid enabled the Venture Trust to relocate their premises Three LandAid supporters provided the advice: GVA helped find and negotiate terms for the new premises, prepared surveys and oversaw the building work in Edinburgh; Pinsent Masons reviewed the existing leases and advised on key steps; and John Robertson Architects liaised with the charity over the layout, look and feel of the new Edinburgh premises, designed the new fit-out and providing construction information for the contractor. This work has complimented the 188,000 grant given to Venture Trust by LandAid and its partners - Redevco and St. James Place Foundation - to refurbish three premises. East End Community Foundation Poplar, London The East End Community Foundation is a partnership of businesses, charities and public bodies dedicated to improving opportunities for people living in London s East End. The charity approached LandAid in 2014 with a request for pro bono property support wanting creative and professional input to research possible development opportunities for a building and site in Poplar. LandAid Partners provided free advice on redeveloping the Workhouse Leisure Centre in Poplar, London in order for the site to maximise community benefit Hawkins\Brown Architects developed three possible options which were evaluated by the charity trustees and a panel of planning, development and costing expertise from Berkley Group, GVA and Turley Associates. The architects then further developed the most promising option involving community use and social housing. Pro bono work is always very rewarding. The workshop gave the charity a real understanding of what was likely to happen with their asset. It focussed them on what they needed to do and the risks they faced if they did nothing. Personally and professionally, the work created a new set of connections and relationships, both from working with the charity and as part of the pro bono team. 8 - Ewan Graham, Senior Architect, Hawkins/Brown

Your Next Steps If you are a pro bono donor... 1. We are looking for companies rather than individuals to pledge at this stage of the programme.

9 Your Next Steps If you are a pro bono donor We are looking for companies rather than individuals to pledge at this stage of the programme. Donors will be expected to use their company s professional indemnity insurance and systems (for example, forms to record time spent and any other project management documents required) to deliver the advice. This is why we ask for someone with the correct authorisation to sign the pledge. 2. If you are an existing LandAid corporate partner and want to get involved in the pro bono programme complete the Pledge (including the Code of Conduct) included in this booklet and send it to elizabeth.pearson@landaid.org. 3. If you are not an existing LandAid partner or need to know more before signing up, contact Elizabeth Pearson or Leah De Silva, Head of Fundraising and Partnerships: leah.desilva@landaid.org or It is anticipated that projects will be ready for matching in mid-september However we are expecting the demand to build up over the following months. Donors will be contacted over the next six months, depending on demand for various types of advice. 5. LandAid will be building a library of useful resources for pro bono donors on our website. Please visit for more information. In you are a charity seeking advice 1. Initially, LandAid is offering property advice to certain types of charities. Charities seeking access to advice will need to meet all the following criteria: You are a UK registered charity Your work positively impacts on the lives of disadvantaged children and young people You require property advice about your premises or buildings from September 2014 onwards 2. If you can respond positively to all of the above questions and would like to access LandAid s pro bono support, please elizabeth.pearson@landaid.org with the following information: Name and registered charity number Contact details of lead contact Short description of your work as a charity Outline of the advice you require or issues you are trying to deal with, in as much detail as possible. 3. LandAid will then be in touch to see if and how we can assist you. 4. LandAid will be building a library of useful pro bono resources for charities on our website. Please visit for more information. Don t forget to sign up for LandAid s newsletter by clicking Join our Mailing List on our home page read our blog or follow us on That way you can keep in touch with the latest news about our pro bono programme and all of LandAid s work. Thank you, we look forward to hearing from you! 9

10 Pledge for Professional Partners LandAid pro bono pledge 1. We agree to give the following number of days of pro bono advice in 2014/15 (please circle as appropriate) 10 days 15 days 20 days Other... Name... Date.... Company... Signature The property skills we can offer are (please tick as appropriate) 3. We can work with charities in the following areas (please tick as appropriate) Asset management Property searches Negotiating leases, purchases and business rates Architectural services (feasibility studies, brief development, design advice, planning and construction) Building surveys Cost estimates Tender evaluations Construction advice Project management Property legal advice Other (please specify) All UK regions North East North West Yorkshire and Humber East Midlands West Midlands East of England London South East South West Scotland Wales Northern Ireland 4. The following person/s is nominated as our LandAid Pro Bono point of contact and will work with LandAid in the allocation of pro bono requests Name... Telephone Mobile... 10

11 Code of Conduct To ensure the best outcomes are achieved for those both giving and receiving pro bono property advice LandAid asks pro bono charity partners receiving advice and providers giving expertise to commit to the following code of conduct. Charity partners To work honestly, fairly and in good faith with the professional pro bono provider, appreciating that there is not a fee for their expertise and they are often doing the work in addition to their paid job. To respond to requests for information with regard to the pro bono advice in a timely manner and with a proper regard for standards of service. To not knowingly participate in a conflict of interest without prior notice to all parties. To inform LandAid of any changes in the agreed scope of pro bono work. To feedback to LandAid on the progress of the pro bono work and the outcomes of the project. LandAid may use this information in case studies and examples of best practice for wider distribution on our website, trustees, corporate and charity partners. Signature Name Company.... Date... Please scan and return a signed copy of this Code of Conduct along with a completed Pledge form to: Elizabeth Pearson Pro Bono Manager elizabeth.pearson@landaid.org Pro bono providers To support and promote the work of LandAid. To use discretion, sensitivity, pragmatism and plain English in all dealings with LandAid s charity clients. To work honestly, fairly and in good faith with clients, keeping their best interest as the primary goal. To ensure that all professionals giving pro bono advice are covered by the appropriate professional indemnity insurance. To carry out professional work in a timely manner and with a proper regards for standards of service and customer care expected of them. To not knowingly participate in a conflict of interest without prior notice to all parties. To promote the recommendations of industry best practice standards wherever possible. To endeavour to protect and preserve the environment and to make clients aware of more sustainable choices wherever practical. To keep and make available if necessary written records of all communication and advice to the client. To inform LandAid of any changes in the agreed scope of pro bono work. To record the time and charge out rate of the pro bono work, as if for a fee paying client. LandAid includes this information in our annual accounts. To feedback to LandAid on the progress of the pro bono work and the outcomes of the project. LandAid may use this information in case studies and examples of best practice for wider distribution. Signature Name Company.... Date... 11

12 LandAid works to improve the lives of children and young people in the UK who experience disadvantage due to their economic or social circumstances. As a charitable foundation supported by the property industry, LandAid finds ways to apply the generosity and expertise of the industry to this cause. St Albans House 5th Floor Haymarket London SW1Y 4QX T enquiries@landaid.org

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