Manchester Youth Zone, the OCT and Bruntwood

Earlier this month was International Youth Day, a UN designated day to celebrate the potential of youth. This is an ideal month to highlight a successful Funding Plus collaboration between the Trust, the Manchester Youth Zone and Bruntwood.

The Manchester Youth Zone (MYZ) is a Harpurhey-based youth facility for local young people. The team there helps to raise aspirations, and provides new experiences to boost confidence and resilience, make new friends and learn new skills. The OCT has been involved with MYZ since it was conceived, supporting everything from governance to healthy eating initiatives and projects focused on jobs and skills. Bruntwood also has strong connections to MYZ – Andrew Cooke, Director at Bruntwood SciTech, is on their Board as a Trustee – and for many years, MYZ has been connected with the Bruntwood Cares programme (time paid for by Bruntwood to release colleagues to work on community projects: 24 hours per colleague, per year).

One support opportunity was last year’s Big Sports Day. On the 9th August, 21 Bruntwood colleagues went to Manchester Youth Zone to help out with a sports day being delivered by MYZ and Hideout Youth Zone. Activities included: football, running races, climbing races, timing which team could fill up a bucket the fastest, and many others. There was also a competition for the best flag, and for whoever could answer the most questions correctly in the lunchtime quiz.

About 70 young people – half from each youth zone – participated in total, and split into teams, with a Bruntwood colleague supporting the different activities alongside them. For Bruntwood colleagues, it was an extremely rewarding experience.

Following that, Jess Crowder, Bruntwood’s Social Impact Coordinator, organised “Workplace Safaris” for MYZs young people – a series of workplace visits where young people can tour Bruntwood, learn about the property industry and hear from senior professionals.

35 young people across Years 7 – 10 at Our Lady’s High School in Higher Blackley experienced three workplace safaris, touring Bruntwood’s headquarters, creating their “ideal office space” and hearing about the different careers and pathways available within the property industry.

The young people said they had gained a real insight into roles they’d never heard of before, and had the opportunity to ask discerning questions to Bruntwood colleagues, such as: “What would you tell your younger self?” The MYZ team felt the opportunity offered an enriching experience that developed confidence and knowledge for the future. 

Bruntwood colleagues described the opportunity to help inspire and motivate the young people of today as a refreshing and rewarding experience. For the OCT, we believe that the more ways in which our funding relationships can be enhanced through colleagues at Bruntwood and elsewhere, the more value we are able to bring as a funder to our sector.