Speaking with Neil, we found out why Blueprint for All was the right fit for the credit management services business. 

“I think that’s the beauty of Blueprint for All—in name and in the way you go about things— that it’s not just focusing on one element of community but looking to achieve something broader. 

Looking at the things you are going to do for us in terms of reviewing policies and our thinking around those, or the way we go about things: you are extremely well placed to do that by the definition of what you do. 

This wasn’t just making a token donation to something and grandstanding and saying, ‘look at us we’re giving money to charity!’ It is more about the opportunity to get involved in the mentoring programmes to offer our support to you guys and expose ourselves to different viewpoints from your organisation, from our mentees, and for them to challenge us.  

Through those different avenues, through mentoring and support, will be how we see the benefit of the partnership in that sense.” 

Neil highlights the importance of focusing on a rounded outlook rather than just a ‘drop in the ocean’ approach to donating. No one can argue that donations aren’t valuable, but Neil believes “to be serious about it, you’ve got to show that you’re prepared to put your time where it is needed. That’s the bigger impact, the ability to offer time and share experiences. I think that works in a two-way perspective.”  

How is Cabot Credit Management going to spend its time supporting Blueprint for All? 

“We want to offer support to those that you provide opportunities for. We know there are people out there trying to make a genuine difference and they require a platform. If we can provide a platform, because we have a customer base, or because we’re in a large industry, then my ideal world would be that other people want to partner with [Blueprint for All] because they see the impact you’re having through our partnership.”If we generate peole being curious and wanting to get involved in supporting an essential cause, then there’s the real benefit.” 

Cabot Credit Management currently has 12 staff from its Senior Management team volunteering as coaches for community leaders on Blueprint for All’s Community Leadership Academy – a programme created to support community leaders with skills needed to successfully run their organisations, including website creation, accounting, social media and marketing. Their coaching supports members with growing their leadership skills and in other areas that they identify, like communications, problem solving, adaptability and relationship management. 

How will our partnership benefit Cabot Credit Management employees? 

“It’s about backing up your words with actions, that’s the criticality of it. It shows you are serious; shows you are genuine about it by investing in people’s time, energy, and skills. 

If someone can see they work for an organisation that backs up their values they’ll feel more comfortable and safer, which will play out in our consumers who can see that, too. It’s about being genuine and authentic in what you do, and if you’re serious about making a difference it’s about saying, ‘what do organisations like Blueprint for All need, and how can we support them?” 

Partnerships for Blueprint for All are an essential part of how we work to create a fairer and more inclusive society. As Neil mentions, the key to our partnership is that it is ‘evolving’. 

“You will win certain battles and fights for what you’re trying to achieve quicker than others. I think it’s about Blueprint for All guiding us with that focus. As I say, this is a selfless thing, it’s about ‘what do you need’ and ‘what do we have that can help?”