Young Manchester

This month ShareGift have awarded ⭐£141,000⭐ in unrestricted grants to 10 charities in the North West of England 🎉 In Manchester , RISE UP is a youth employment charity that connect employers with young job seekers who face traditional barriers to employment. Young Manchester is a youth-led partnership of over 160 local non-profit organisations and groups supporting 15,000 children and young people in Manchester every week. Manchester & Cheshire Dogs Home care for and rehomes Manchester's stray and abandoned doggies 🐶. Levenshulme Good Neighbours works with volunteers to offer practical, social and emotional support to over 300 older people living in the Levenshulme area of Manchester 🐝. In Liverpool, Kind we have been making a difference in the lives of thousands of disadvantaged children and families from across Liverpool and Merseyside since 1975. Sanctuary Family Support offers support to families of substance misusers, the substance misusers themselves and Kinship Carers Foxton have been supporting the community in Preston since 1969, and runs youth and community services, homeless services, and women's services. Fortalice Ltd are a Bolton based charity providing frontline services for people who are, or have been, affected by domestic abuse and violence. The Lake District Calvert Trust provide residential breaks that help people with a range of disabilities experience the Lake District in a safe, fun and supportive way. Point SEND Oldham provide information, advice, support and empowerment to children with additional needs/ disabilities and their families. We are delighted to be able to support these amazing charities who provide such vital services to the North West.

The Greater Manchester Baccalaureate (MBacc) is already making a real impact and it’s just the beginning 🚀 Yesterday we co-hosted the MBaac Summit with Greater Manchester Combined Authority at Co-op Live as part of the Festival of Technical Education. The event brought together educators, employers, youth organisations, schools, charities and other key stakeholders to celebrate and shape the future of technical education in Greater Manchester. The Summit marked the opportunity to highlight why technical career pathways matter and how the MBaac puts young people's ambitions and choices at the centre of the conversation. One young person said it best: “The MBaac is about helping young people get on the path they want to be on, not leaving them to end up on a path they didn’t choose.” An Assistant Headteacher also stated: “MBaac is the thing that’s been missing in education.” From our ongoing youth consultancy work, W/YOUTH, 3 clear recommendations were co-designed by young people who shared their lived experiences: 1. In-school information sessions at key decision points 2. Tailored support for Year 11 students who feel unprepared for post-GCSE choices, such as peer support groups 3. Greater access to real-life experiences, life skills, and meaningful work opportunities. Yesterday amplified how crucial it is to build an education system that works with young people, not against them 🙌 Samuel Remi-Akinwale Abdullah Abrar Beth Eden Laura Smith Shekinnah Wilberforce Youth Focus North West (YFNW)

The Greater Manchester Baccalaureate (MBacc) is already making a real impact and it’s just the beginning 🚀 Yesterday we co-hosted the MBaac Summit with Greater Manchester Combined Authority at Co-op Live as part of the Festival of Technical Education. The event brought together educators, employers, youth organisations, schools, charities and other key stakeholders to celebrate and shape the future of technical education in Greater Manchester. The Summit marked the opportunity to highlight why technical career pathways matter and how the MBaac puts young people's ambitions and choices at the centre of the conversation. One young person said it best: “The MBaac is about helping young people get on the path they want to be on, not leaving them to end up on a path they didn’t choose.” An Assistant Headteacher also stated: “MBaac is the thing that’s been missing in education.” From our ongoing youth consultancy work, W/YOUTH, 3 clear recommendations were co-designed by young people who shared their lived experiences: 1. In-school information sessions at key decision points 2. Tailored support for Year 11 students who feel unprepared for post-GCSE choices, such as peer support groups 3. Greater access to real-life experiences, life skills, and meaningful work opportunities. Yesterday amplified how crucial it is to build an education system that works with young people, not against them 🙌 Samuel Remi-Akinwale Abdullah Abrar Beth Eden Laura Smith Shekinnah Wilberforce Youth Focus North West (YFNW)

Thank you to the many people this year on LinkedIn who have reached out and came down to speak to our youths at the Moss Side Millennium Powerhouse about their journey and life experiences, it has made such a difference. We have had a brilliant year so far with the amazing opportunities, trips, youth activities and much more, I have such an incredible staff and volunteers team who have stayed with me since 2019, all of them, believing in our youths and how amazing they are, we work in such a great area that is often stereotyped as the worst in Manchester, however excellence comes out of Moss Side and great young people come from this area, I am a proud youth leader for over 17+ years working with the best youths in this community, who continue to make us proud 🥲 and we absolutely love what we do! #Youthwork Last Friday, working in partnership with Young Manchester, a group of amazing leaders came down to do peer review, asking our young people questions about what they do in their local area and what they need, they will now feed this back to the local Council/Mayor for action to be taken, we are proud of the many youths who got involved, they spoke up and did a good job.👏🏾 We are always active!!! 🙏🏽 We are so proud! Our sessions are amazing, we are outstanding! Excellent personal development and cultural capital. 💯

Thrilled to be celebrating thirty years of incredible youth and community work at M13 Youth Project today. ❤️🔥⭐️. The leaders and thinkers in this community should be so proud of the impact they have had in Ardwick and way beyond. Young Manchester Ruth Denton Hannah Peake Claire Evans Samuel Remi-Akinwale Justin Watson angeli sweeney

What a wonderful start to our LEAD+ June 2025 programme! These inspiring leaders came together to begin a 6-month journey of learning, exploration and growth. LEAD+ is a space for CEOs of not for profit organisations to explore their leadership, deepen their self awareness, and connect with peers, forming long lasting, supportive relationships. Funded by the The Oglesby Charitable Trust, and working in partnership with Young Manchester, this 6 month programme began in response to Covid and the recognition that being a CEO can be a lonely place in ‘normal’ times. Since Covid nothing much has felt ‘normal’ and the challenges these leaders face get no easier. Taking a few hours each month to slow down, reflect on the highs and the lows, and share real challenges with peers who will have shared experience, is time well spent. In a world where we have to be able to adapt and respond at pace, it is in slowing down, reflecting and collaborating with others that we see what is really needed and how we can best move us forward. Here’s to the next 6 months of learning, leading, and lifting each other up. 💪✨ Sam Palmer Esther Whitaker Roukagia Afan #LeadershipDevelopment #peerlearning #peersupport #ExecutiveCoaching

“12 million pounds will be distributed by The Pathway Fund to Black and Ethnically Minoritised social enterprises, charities, and small businesses... this is just the start!” On Monday we attended the Pathway Fund listening event in Manchester at NatWest Group. It was insightful to hear from sector leaders and community voices on how social investment can truly serve Black and minoritised communities, not just in theory, but in practice. Thank you Brendan Hegarty for the invite and Asher Craig for creating a space where organisations can share the realities on the ground and for your commitment to understanding regional priorities. It was also great to connect with some of the brilliant team from the Caribbean & African Health Network (CAHN)! We look forward to continuing this conversation with The Pathway Fund!

🌟 Meet Laura, our W/Youth Partnerships Lead 🌟 New to Manchester but already deeply connected to the community, Laura Smith brings a powerful blend of community engagement and business management experience to our team. With a passion for supporting young people and a talent for building meaningful partnerships, she's already making waves. Before joining us, Laura was General Manager at The Green Kiss, a sustainable business in Canada, and worked as a podcast producer on shows like Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby! (Yes, she cold called the host and landed the job; proof that bold moves pay off!). Outside of work, she’s enjoys being outdoors: climbing, hiking, and getting involved in local theatre. 💬 Her biggest career lesson?  “Be open to opportunities. Even when one door closes, another one might be just around the corner. Say yes, you never know what it could lead to.” 💡 What would she tell her younger self? "Stop stressing about every detail. Don’t compare your path to others. Stay true to yourself, your journey is yours for a reason." We’re thrilled to have Laura on the team and can’t wait to see the impact she’ll make!

Meet Shekinnah, our new Digital and Communications Officer 📸 Shekinnah Wilberforce is a passionate young leader from Manchester. Before joining our team, she coordinated youth engagement activities on a national level at NCS, working to ensure that young people were meaningfully included in strategic decision-making. Her journey in the youth sector began as a volunteer with CAHN, where she later became their first Digital Assistant, creating a range of content from newsletters to podcasts. In addition to her 5 years' experience in digital marketing, Shekinnah has championed inclusivity through her role in the Greater Manchester Youth Combined Authority, collaborating with youth organisations across the UK and internationally. She has travelled to Romania and Kenya to amplify youth voice, interned with JD Sports through the 10,000 Black Interns programme, and represented the initiative at 10 Downing Street. From receiving the Outstanding Young People’s Award at 18 to contributing to national youth policy at 22, Shekinnah continues to drive meaningful change. 💬 What would she tell her younger self?  “Well done, you got this! There’s so much ahead of you! Enjoy the season you’re in and have fun with those around you, each day is a gift.” ✨ Her biggest career lesson?  “Say yes to opportunities, even when the path ahead isn’t clear. Every open door is purposeful, and they’re part of a greater plan designed by God. Not everything unfolds the way we expect, but I’ve learned to trust that all things work together for good. (Romans 2:28). My future isn’t just shaped by ambition, it’s guided by faith, and that gives me the confidence to keep moving forward.” We’re delighted to welcome Shekinnah to the team! We're excited to have her lead our communications and bring creativity to everything we do👏 

Are you a group working locally in south or central Manchester? The National Lottery Fund, We Love Manchester and Macc are holding a ‘Meet the funder’ event for you! Come along to learn about two of the funding programmes run by The National Lottery (Reaching Communities and Awards For All) and about We Love Manchester funds (Rising Stars and Stronger Communities funds). At this event, you will hear presentations from both funders, followed by an opportunity to ask questions after each presentation. Macc staff will also be available for any questions you might have regarding organisational development support. Join us on 18th June at St Thomas Centre: https://lnkd.in/e_dTpPNp