Fresh push on business support

A Cabinet Office trial is set to revisit business brokerage as a method of generating greater funding and support for the youth sector.

The brief pilot, to run from now until the end of March 2015, will see six Myplace youth centres be matched with businesses that can provide tailored support to meet the needs of each individual centre.

The aim of the programme is to develop an evidence base demonstrating how businesses can support centres with their sponsorship, volunteering and skill-sharing needs, which will be disseminated through the Myplace network of 63 centres.

It is the first time the government has used the method since the United Futures trial, which ended in March 2013. That scheme, led by a consortium made up of UK Youth, Business in the Community and National Children's Bureau, found a series of barriers preventing organisations and local businesses from working together, including a mismatch between the future expectations of the two.

Despite this, UK Youth continues to deliver its own schemes, including linking B&Q stores with their nearest youth club, which Jo Birch-Phaure, communications manager at the charity, says has a number of benefits, including the provision of volunteers and work experience placements.

But she says that a flaw in the use of business brokerage is that "it takes significant time and investment to set up, which smaller organisations simply don't have".

"We are seeing an increasing awareness among smalland medium-sized businesses of the benefits of supporting charities and local activity, but there are still significant barriers."

She says the biggest is resources, including staff time to cultivate relationships with businesses.

It is a view shared by Catherine Sermon, employment director at Business in the Community. "Forging and managing successful partnerships demands an investment of time and this continues to be one of the biggest barriers," she adds.

"Getting beyond just asking for money is also critical to building more quality relationships between businesses and youth organisations."

However, Birch-Phaure says that small youth organisations also struggle to find local businesses that are able to invest in their work.

"Often, companies have a range of different pots of money for charities and volunteering, and so do have the potential to support something small and hyper-local to their area. But they then run that selection like a competition and this takes time and resources that many youth projects simply can't afford," she explains.

Despite the concerns, there are examples of where business brokerage is working well in the youth sector (see below).

Phil Walters, head of membership development at London Youth, says partnerships with businesses work best when they have genuine benefits for both parties and it is clear what impact the scheme will have.

"We're trying to move away from models where helpful employees come and paint a wall for a day, and instead find ways for businesses to play to their strengths," he explains.

"This could be in managing finances, work experience or skills training, or helping with strategic development or quality assurance, and done over a longer term."

Fiona Blacke, chief executive of the National Youth Agency, also says businesses are increasingly seeing the benefits of investing in youth organisations.

"Corporates are not slow to see the need to invest in young people as customers, potential employees and members of the community," she explains.

"Those that we work with also understand the importance of youth work in building the key skills they need young people to develop."

As result, she says that business brokerage will become more prominent in the youth sector.

"We're going to see far greater engagement of business, creating tightly focused programmes on specific themes that benefit young people, business and contribute to the local youth offer," Blacke says.

"Business will not only be a major contributor, it will be a willing one with a positive vision for young people and resources to make it happen."

Case studies

Haynes MechaniX

Haynes Publishing together with London Youth, Prospex Youth Club and Draper Tools launched the Haynes MechaniX programme in April.

The aim of the scheme, funded by Haynes Publishing, is to equip members of Prospex Youth Club, in Islington, with a range of practical skills, while helping them to gain a qualification in car mechanics.

Over seven weeks, a group of 15- to 25-year-olds undertake 60 hours of car mechanics training before putting their skills into practice and helping "Percy the Polo" to pass its MOT.

In July, the first group of Haynes MechaniX graduates completed the programme, gaining a Level 3 City & Guilds qualification in car mechanics.

Haynes Publishing and London Youth are now discussing extending the programme to other youth clubs.

O2 Think Big

A partnership between O2, UK Youth and the National Youth Agency, O2 Think Big supports 13- to 25-year-olds to turn their social action ideas into a reality.

The scheme provides applicants with an initial grant of up to £300, plus relevant training, to help them get their projects off the ground over a six-month period.

All projects must be youth-led and make a positive impact on the young person's local community. If their projects prove to be successful, participants can apply for a grant of up to £2,500 to deliver them for a further year.

O2 Think Big has now supported more than 6,563 projects, including an arts project designed to tackle stereotypes surrounding homelessness.