Creating the Future Award for Excellence
The assessment panel has chosen Accent Community Partnerships as the overall winner of this year’s award. This project has successfully provided the necessary skills and support for local young people to be employable in their community. In addition, it has encouraged participation and cohesion among a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds in an area that has experienced severe racial tension and disharmony.
Winner: Accent Community Partnerships, Bradford
Five years ago, the Accent Community Group recognised the need for social and economic investment to create and support sustainable communities in Bradford. It is a prime national example of a community-inspired and run initiative, proving just how much can be done to change traditional norms in society and aspirations in deprived areas.
Despite large-scale investment in the regeneration of the city, construction companies were importing skills from outside Bradford because the skills were not available to them locally. The Accent Community Group worked with the district council, training bodies, the local college, employers and funders to set up the Accent Community Partnership that would develop the skills required among local people to build, support and nurture a better place to work and live for the future.
By identifying the skills shortages in local communities and listening to local people, the Accent Group was able to tailor its training and support programmes around individuals and their needs rather than taking a 'one size fits all' approach.
The strength and success of the project comes from its mentors, who are recruited from local communities, enabling Accent to follow and look after an individual from initial recruitment, through their training and into the first year in employment.
The Accent Group’s own investment into the project has been used to attract extra funding from other sources to regenerate the area and improve skills. Funding now comes from eight different bodies, including the Learning and Skills Council, the European Social Fund, the Construction Industry Training Board, and Fair Cities.
The National Housing Federation and the Learning and Skills Council have funded Accent to spread their experience and practices across Yorkshire and the Humber. Accent was awarded the Big Tick by Business in the Community in 2004.
The project has helped local regeneration by converting an old building, located in an area of high unemployment and social deprivation, into a dedicated training unit. There are now plans to re-develop this site to provide 18 managed workspace units for new construction companies. They will also have a 5,000 sq ft dedicated space as an office and training centre.
Ten trainees have now become employees of Accent. One trainee has set up his own business and recently won a contract from the district council to carry out gas maintenance and is employing other trainees from the project.
Accent has successfully involved users at every stage of development to evaluate and adapt the project in line with its commitment to creating sustainable communities.
The project is gaining international acclaim and recognition, and is seen throughout Bradford as vital to encouraging participation in skills training and education amongst ethnic minority and disadvantaged communities.
Accent has been asked to set up its own Apprenticeship scheme this year with 15 young people each in: health and social care; bricklaying; and business and administration. The model has been rolled out to Burnley and Stockton so far, with plans to extend further.
As a result of the project’s success in providing skills to young people, the assessment panel has also recognised it for Skills, Training, Learning and Work Development, as well as Engaging Young People.
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