Supporting Local Organisations - the Diversity in Practice Project
With developed project management capacities and the ability to effectively deliver ESF-funded programmes, Exemplas empowered local organisation, Positive Strides, to use their on-the-ground experience and expertise – and really change people’s lives.
Through the ‘Diversity in Practice’ project, Exemplas was able to support Positive Strides in developing – and then trialling – a programme which provided a group of students, many of whom were marginalised and disillusioned, with skills that would take them far beyond the life span of the project.
The Programme
‘Innovation into Employment’ – the result - was an original and effective training course, designed to address the well documented and widespread barriers to entering the film and media industry.
Piloted to a group of Black and Ethnic Minority (BAME) students at a local school, the quantitative impact was impressive – students produced film documentaries, obtained accredited qualifications, some even overcame the barriers obtained work experience – but it was the qualitative impact that really got people talking.
Building Confidence and Developing Transferable Skills
Students didn’t just learn practical skills, they also developed the transferable skills so important for future success. Working together towards a clear and engaging focus encouraged good communication. Sharing a common goal and working on a collaborative project facilitated better team working.
As students acquired new capacities – and gained evidence of these capacities – self confidence increased. As individuals’ confidence increased, their motivation grew - and, through the medium of film and media, an enthusiasm for learning was generated
Reaching into the Community
Not only did the students apply their new technical skills during the course, they also invested their own time and applied for similar initiatives like BBC blast. They didn’t just reach the ambitious objective of producing a mini-documentary; they also used this activity as a way of challenging and improving their school – and of reaching the wider community.
Positive Strides
Through Exemplas’ support with performance management and funding requirements, Positive Strides was able to access a completely different type of funding stream – and develop the processes and structures to manage this. With ESF funding, Positive Strides, in the words of projects manager, Mark Straker, were able to realise “a completely new concept – to implement innovation”.
Through participating in the Exemplas-led partnership, Positive Strides were presented with some interesting challenges which encouraged – and enabled – the organisation to review their business practices, to focus in on best practice, to collaborate and learn from a wide range of partners – and, then, to develop into a sustainable Social Enterprise.