Social and Sustainable Capital (SASC), a UK fund manager and social enterprise has invested £200,000 of working capital in Brook, a charity specialising in sexual health, and the only organisation in the UK to offer clinical and educational services specifically to young people.

Last year Brook’s clinical services helped more than 51,000 young people, with over half of those coming from the 40% most deprived communities.

Over half a million young people accessed the charity’s online help and advice pages and a further 128,000 under 25s benefitted from its education and wellbeing programmes.

Going forward, Brook will continue to use its unique position as leaders in the field of young people’s relationships and sex education (RSE) and experts in professionals’ training, when the subject becomes mandatory in September 2020.

Helen Marshall, Chief Executive at Brook Young People said:

Brook has long been lobbying for compulsory RSE and we celebrate this great opportunity to improve the sexual and reproductive health, relationships and wellbeing of the nation.

Thanks to the investment from SASC we have been able to accelerate our work in preparation for mandatory RSE and ensure that we are in the best possible position to support schools and teachers with the implementation and delivery of these new subjects.

This is the first time Brook has used social investment. It comes at a time when two thirds of local councils have cut funding for sexual and reproductive health services.

Ben Rick, Managing Director of SASC said:

The difficult commissioning environment for public health in the UK is making it harder for charities like Brook to access funding. Social investment is offering them a solution that enables them to continue the great work they do. The charity has a bright future, especially in the schools market and we are looking forward to working with them.

Photo: c. Brook