About

We Create a Better World for all Children.

There are those who believe that it is impossible to change the world. We know that we can change it, to ensure that all children have the childhood to which they are entitled to. Art is a useful and peaceful way of expression and stress relief. Many families and education systems cannot afford to give their children the resources, or opportunity to express themselves in this manner. Art is a form of meditation for many, similar to sport, or reading books.

Our job is to get results. We know that our results depend on the quality of our partnerships.​

Our grantees, staff, and partners are critical in achieving our vision of a world where every person has the opportunity to live a creative and productive life filled with happiness.

Rather than look at the challenges that people face by region we identify challenges that can be tackled on a global level. We work with partners that can help to affect change globally, and then scale solutions to a local level.

Our Principles

• We engage in transparent collaboration with others.
• We inspire creative thinking in children.
• We create the highest value possible with the resources available to us.
• We reduce complexity in all our processes, allowing us to focus on the bigger picture.
• We institutionalise learning and knowledge sharing.

 Where We Work

We were founded in Gothenburg, Sweden in the fall of 2020. However, ever since we strive towards having impact globally. In addition to our efforts to help children reach their full potential in terms of art and education, we also invest in building the strength and collaboration of other local non-profit sectors. The work of the Helping Hand Foundation spans across the globe, but we have a deep commitment to improving the lives of children in Sweden and the UK. We believe that all children deserve a chance to reach their full potential, regardless of their race, ethnicity, income, or gender.

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How We Develop Strategy

In each of our divisions, we develop goals and strategies before allocating resources and making investments. We continually collect and share data on our progress, reflect on lessons learned, and make course corrections as needed. Essential to this process is ongoing dialogue with our grantees and partners – which is embedded throughout our strategy lifecycle. At this stage of the foundation’s growth our strategies are already in place. We reflect on and review each strategy and make adjustments to our implementation plan toward achieving our goals.

1. We Find & Fund

First we find schools with underfunded or under appreciated art programmes. We then approach them in regards to hosting an event to encourage children and bring awareness to the potential benefits of inspiring creativity in young people. We fund this by bringing our art resources to the school and setting up the event with volunteers. 

2. We Build Networks

After hosting one event in one school, we may do more in the same local area. Building relations between volunteers and bringing more young people into the idea of volunteering for charity. 

3. We Inspire to be Better

We believe that bringing young people into our sphere as volunteers will have a domino effect on others. They will be more open to volunteering if their peers and siblings have done so before. Bringing about many more young volunteers for other charities, benefiting not just our own.

4. We Educate

Art truly has an extremely beneficial effect on the human mind. Being creative allows minds to think differently in situations, unlocking their potential through different mediums such as painting, drawing and an infinite number of others. Those who have an artistic hobby are much less susceptible to depression and anxiety than those without.

5.We Provide 

We provide much needed experience for young people. Those who are not able to travel far for charitable experience may not have to look far with our events in schools. We also provide art supplies to students that cannot afford to buy them or schools that cannot give their students enough art material.

6. We Consult

Many companies want to give back to the people and we believe helping the youth is the best way they can do that. Companies can help us procure art supplies, help promote our events

Our approach.

We believe that social movements are built upon individual leadership, strong institutions, and innovative, often high-risk ideas. While the specifics of what we work on evolve over time, investments in art and education have primarily remained the touchstones of everything we do and are central to our theory of how change happens in the world. These approaches have long distinguished the Helping Hand Foundation, and they have had a profound cumulative impact.

Our Values

The stories we tell, and the art we create, help us understand our world and make connections to others. Yet the stories we hear the most still disproportionately favour and represent a select few. By lifting up underrepresented or unheard voices, we can strengthen understandings of human complexity.

Our work explores how art can contribute to fairer and more just societies. We are committed to strengthening diverse networks of decision makers.. Across our work we prioritize support projects and organizations that include deep and meaningful engagement with communities. We believe art helps us understand our world, find purpose, and create meaningful connections. The stories we hear today still disproportionately represent a select few, which reinforces stereotypes. We work to help communities shape a more inclusive world, via the inclusivity of art. 

​As a foundation, we are interested in understanding not only if our programs have an impact, but also in what ways and under which conditions we can create social change across issues and places. We challenge our assumptions by engaging with different perspectives, through cross-programmatic exchange and collaboration inside the foundation and with the insights of outside experts, grantees, peer funders, and other stakeholders.