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Wonder Foundation aims to empower vulnerable people through education. Target groups are women and young people, and we have worked extensively with migrants and refugees. We work with partners in the UK, Europe and overseas. We firmly believe that volunteering is an important way of gaining skills and experience and all of our trustees and staff members are encouraged to volunteer and have volunteered in the past. Intense and extended volunteering in another country allows a person to gain an in-depth view of a new culture (or in the case of London, a range of cultures) which can lead them to ask deep personal questions, re-evaluating convictions and cultural stereotypes in the light of new learning. Volunteering is also an excellent opportunity for
young people to grow in solidarity with others, realising the common, shared human values that cross cultures.

WONDER works with a variety of community-based partners and NGOs in the UK and overseas to support vulnerable women and their children and to support young women to become active citizens.

The Wonder Foundation was established in 2009 as the initiative of a group of young women based in London but hailing from all over the world. It was registered as a company in 2011 and as a charity (number 1148679) in 2012.

The projects that the WONDER Foundation are in education, both formal and informal, personal development, including mentoring and befriending, and women’s empowerment, including the promotion of active citizenship. Education and mentoring have long been recognised as key to thriving communities. WONDER works to provide training and support in relevant capacity-building areas such as income generation, project management, recruiting and supporting volunteers and governance. WONDER also provides opportunities for young women to gain the skills that they need to take leadership within their communities, neighbourhoods and society more broadly, through training and volunteering. We support and mentor those who volunteer with us to ensure that they make the most of their opportunities. This work includes providing opportunities for young people to take on responsibility incrementally, gain experience, understand other cultures, gain leadership, teamwork and character skills, and serve other people. Since 2009 young people, supported by the WONDER , have started an outreach programme for young girls with low aspirations in an east London school, and a programme for recent school leavers to help them to gain employability skills and fulfill their potential. As part of citizenship, we encourage young women to engage in philanthropy and fundraising.