Case Study 8 - Social Enterprise


Policy Heading: Economic well-being - Every Child Matters Reality: Our experience


Unity Radio was a pirate radio station headed up by one of the Youth Charter Ambassadors who successfully delivered the Salford Quays Graffiti Art project. The aim was to develop an Arts Inclusion range of programmes and projects and bring Unity Radio from below the line to above the line in both activity and profile. A bold and exciting decision was taken to apply for the OFCOM commercial radio licence for Manchester. The Youth Charter entered into a unique collaboration providing a bid strategy, seminar training and capacity building, support, advice and advocacy to the Unity Radio presenters and committee. The Bid document was successfully submitted and was widely praised both for its social and economic viability. During the period of the bid, all Unity Radio Youth Programme members and presenters agreed a code of conduct as well as ceasing their pirate radio activity.


Although the bid was unsuccessful, a remarkable range of skills and abilities were realised that have been maintained to assist Unity Radio. The Radio Station continues to develop youth and community social inclusion through the medium of radio as well as workshops and community events.


Lessons learned Young people need to be given the capacity and leadership opportunities to develop through the medium of community radio and social enterprise. The benefits and appeal of social inclusion programmes and projects through the bid process provided intergenerational and community benefits that are socially and economically sustainable. There needs to be greater investment in the community radio licenses currently being offered by OFCOM and the commercial radio licenses required to identify, link or support a community radio franchise or network through their corporate social responsibility or charity identified in their respective bid documents.


What we inspired An Artwise© inclusion and education programme has been developed and piloted in the new Manchester Academy in Moss Side, Manchester to complement the existing Soccerwise© module. A cultural framework and learning experience and outcomes delivered through the PHSE and Citizenship curriculum is helping both the behaviour and the performance of pupil and school alike.


Agencies The Lowry, Contact Theatre, Nia Centre, Arts Council, South Manchester Partnership, City Music Network, DCMS, Radio Regen, Unity Radio, Piccadilly Radio, Huddersfield Arts Centre, YFM, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Merseyside Museums and Galleries, Cultural Consortia for the North West.


The social language and culture of the Youthwise© programme has now been delivered to young people, communities, public/private sector and voluntary organisations, locally, nationally and internationally. Thousands of young people and adults seeking to engage young people have benefited from the many tools and action learning real life experiences reflected in the modules and programmes to date. The Youthwise© experience, knowledge and expertise is now reflected and identified in the Youthwise development model. This model, whilst providing generic social policy themes that are consistent and identified within ‘Every Child Matters’ and ‘Youth Matters’, allows for local and regional strategies to be customised and developed to meet local, social, demographic issues and policy resource needs. The Youthwise© development model provides a tangible, social & economic impact of outputs and outcomes of sport and cultural activity.


To date over 200 social inclusion and regeneration projects and programmes have been delivered in inner city, rural and suburban communities, locally, nationally and internationally.


4. Social Regeneration:


The Social Centre of Excellence The drug dealer is an entrepreneur in the making. They possess more entrepreneurial skills and potential than


‘The Apprentice’ and even for Sir Alan Sugar in his early days at Ridley Road Market in London’s East End. Young people not only want to work for an entrepreneur, they want to be an entrepreneur. However, in order to translate their street sense they need social and economic investment to be able to develop, innovate and see their creative abilities translated positively for themselves and more importantly their communities. The Social Centre of Excellence concept was developed to do just that.


The Social Centre of Excellence concept resulted from the many facilities that failed to provide a one stop shop in the services and provisions to young people whilst at the same time providing an intergenerational link through sporting and cultural activity. As a result of the successful ‘Spirit of the Streets Tour of L.A.’, a number of youth consultations were undertaken with public and private sector agencies to identify an area strategy and range of activities that would reflect the L.A. experience within a Manchester existence.


One of the major needs identified was a facility that would historically have intergenerational interest and ongoing recognition in the community


The Social Centre of Excellence prospectus was a bold step to meet the challenge of young people in the area of Hulme and Moss Side in finding something to do in the sporting, cultural and artistic activity now being enjoyed in the area. The Agoraspace project had motivated (along with the legacy of the spirit of Hulme & Moss Side tour of LA) a social and cultural bridge of confidence in the multi agency networks that could be put in place to provide the widest social benefits. The challenges in continued and on-going gang related activity meant that a network of, or multi faceted facilities would need to be developed to provide a one stop shop of sporting, cultural, artistic and social opportunities in a safe and sustainable environment. Following the Sport Social Impact Model and the Community Impact Model the Social Centre of Excellence context was developed. A prospectus was produced and distributed throughout the UK.


4.1 Moss Side Millennium Powerhouse


The Moss Side Youth Centre on Raby Street had been in existence for at least thirty years and for much of that time had been recognised as being too small and in deterioration. Owned by Manchester Education Committee and managed by Manchester Youth Service the decision to replace it with a purpose built multi-agency facility was taken in the middle of the1990s.


Inspired by the Spirit of Hulme and Moss Side tour of Los Angeles and delivered by a public private sector partnership socially brokered by the Youth Charter, the Moss Side Millennium Powerhouse was a £3million project that turned the dreams of the young people into a reality. The majority of the project funding came from the public sector (£2.8million of which 50% came from Millennium funding).


The Youth Charter socially brokered and established a project that took forward, delivered and turned the young peoples’ dreams into reality. The Moss Side Millennium Powerhouse was established as a registered charity and after five years of planning was finally opened in 1999 ironically during spate of killings.


The vision for the Moss Side Millennium Powerhouse was: “Our vision is to create a new millennium Powerhouse for the young people of Moss Side which celebrates their diversity and embraces their needs, interest and aspirations. A centre which facilitates individual pathways to positive achievements and contributions within the wider society - social, cultural, educational, sporting and in the world of work. A centre for Young people in which they are partners and of which they can be proud. A centre which, will in turn become a model for youth centre in the new millennium, establishing the validity and viability of partnerships for the benefit of the nation’s youth”.


Aim:


1. To assist young people to develop emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually so that they can make a positive contribution to their community and the wider world as active citizens


2. To provide a safe, warm welcoming environment for young people irrespective of race, gender, sexual orientation, disability or responsibility for dependents


Fig. 3.10 The Youthwise© Development Model


3. To respond through multi-agency and interdisciplinary partnerships to the educational, social, health and vocational needs of the young people


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The references underlined in this report can be hyperlinked on the electronic version via the Youth Charter website: www.youthcharter.co.uk


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