Our Work

Our programmes

We actively seek resources to enable us to deliver on our mission and our strategic aims. With an emerging track record in field of “new economics”, “community wealth building” and “community economic development” we are building our practice to contribute to local economic growth and tackling disadvantage in the communities we work in.

  • "Community Economic Development describes a process of economic development within a specific geographic area, to make the economy in that area work well for that community. The process is led by people living, working and running businesses in that area."

    DCLG and Co-Operatives UK Report
    Lessons from two years’ action research, October 2017

  • "In this new theory, human beings are not just actors but constitute the central element from which the theory and everything else derive: work, production, consumption, demand, supply, exchange, trade, markets, stock exchanges, money, state economics, and global economics with all their complexities."

    Vinzenz von Holle: 2024.
    "Summary of the New Economic Theory," Springer Books, in: New Economic Theory

  • "Traditional economic development practice and developer-led regeneration are failing to address the economic challenges of our time. Community wealth building is a new people-centred approach to local economic development, which redirects wealth back into the local economy, and places control and benefits into the hands of local people."

    CLES
    cles.org.uk, What is Community Wealth Building?, Accessed 19th December 2024

  • 400 engagements on ICAN with 120 accessing Pre-Employment Training delivering positive outcomes:

    • Achieve basic skills in English and Maths

    • Achieve digital literacy level 1-3

    • First aid trained

    • Benefited from employability support (CV, wellbeing, et al)

    • Referrals to basic skills provision and referral to I Can entry level jobs programme or another employer

  • 120 year 10 pupils receiving intensive coach mentoring in 6 east Birmingham schools with 180 additional ‘lighter touch’ engagements delivering positive outcomes:

    • Steer on work experience

    • Steer on post 16 and careers pathways

    • Boost educational attainment

    • Help overcome risk of NEET

  • 1,000 resident engagements in Druids Heath regeneration:

    • Engaged with the masterplan for estate regeneration

    • Develop steering group as a vehicle for long term community engagement

    • Contribute to the ‘meanwhile offer’

  • 12 community organisations supported in developing community economic plans in East Birmingham engaging a further 400 residents, and 20 stakeholders involved in inclusive growth in East Birmingham:

    • Coach and inspire community anchor organisations to participate in a future Coalition for Impact driving inclusive growth

    • Develop CAO’s business, governance and asset viability

    • Develop at last 10 investable propositions for east Birmingham contributing to future growth

    • Build network of community organisations engaged in inclusive growth

    • Build relationship between the CAOs and developers and key stakeholders

  • 80 community artists trained in theatre or photography skills and 300 wider engagements in place-based community arts involving 80 participants in community theatre and 80 participants in community photography:

    • 80 residents in East Birmingham trained in community arts as producers and facilitators

    • 300 residents accessing community produced art

Coalition for Impact

Our team of associates delivered the first phase of this central government funded programme in 2022/23 working with a cohort of 120 year 11 pupils in East Birmingham schools. Working as coach mentors, the team worked with individuals and groups to help them define their future learning and career pathways.

In 2023/24 we committed to extend this programme, initially through our own resources and then with support from Birmingham City Council.

Common Threads

Common Threads was a community arts programme that has delivered two community theatrical productions and four community photography projects from May 2024 to December 2024. In each of the projects we sought to enable, empower, show and inspire local people - women, men, young people alongside local artists and volunteers.

Partnerships for People and Place (PfPP)

Our team of associates delivered the first phase of this central government funded programme in 2022/23 working with a cohort of 120 year 11 pupils in East Birmingham schools. Working as coach mentors, the team worked with individuals and groups to help them define their future learning and career pathways.

In 2023/24 we committed to extend this programme, initially through our own resources and then with support from Birmingham City Council.

I Can

Our team of associates have worked on the NHS ICAN entry level jobs programme since its inception in late 2021 which has seen 639 job offers made from 5,651 expressions of interest.

Loconomy have continued making referrals since October 2023 with 200 made overall during the period. 

Druids Heath Resident Engagement

In 2023/24 we continued the resident engagement work that our associates had undertaken supporting the development of master planning concepts developed over a two-year period .

In 2024/25 we have committed to supporting the development and facilitation of a Community Steering Group. 

Shared Prosperity Fund – Ready 2 Level

In 2023/24 we delivered an intensive learning support programme working with ten Community Anchor Organisations from East Birmingham.