Greater Manchester Talent Match was a Big Lottery-funded programme supporting young people aged 18 to 24 who had been out of employment, education or training for 12 months or more.
Challenge: communicating success and impact
This programme brought together the private, public and voluntary sectors to help individuals facing significant challenges in finding opportunities and overcoming barriers to employment. Personalised support was provided to over 2,000 young people by dedicated Talent Coaches. These were key workers from frontline organisations who understood the unique struggles faced by young people in their communities.
Our challenge was to effectively communicate the achievements and findings of the programme. We needed to raise awareness of the programme’s success, highlight the stories of the young people and communicate their meaningful contributions to their communities.
Our approach: an event in a stunning setting attended by key decision-makers
To showcase the achievements of the Greater Manchester Talent Match, we organised a high-profile end-of-programme event at the beautiful Gorton Monastery in Manchester.
Our planning included managing the media and ensuring the event shared valuable insights and celebrated the contributions of the young participants. We collaborated closely with young people in planning the event and included them throughout the day’s programme.
This included a panel discussion with younger members who shared their experiences and recommendations for change. We also produced a film featuring Matt’s story, one of the programme’s success stories, which was shown at the event. You can watch the film here.
Results & Impact: extensive media coverage and event success
The event at Gorton Monastery was a tremendous success, attracting over 150 attendees. Notable figures included Labour MP Kate Green, Big Lottery Fund Executive Dawn Austwick and Big Life Group Chair Edna Robinson to name a few. The event effectively shared the programme’s findings and inspired other groups, businesses and enterprises to integrate these learnings into their own organisations.
Media coverage was extensive, featuring in the Manchester Evening News, BBC Radio Manchester and Granada Reports, along with sector-specific press.
The involvement of young people in planning and presenting at the event highlighted the programme’s impact and the importance of their voices. Greater Manchester Talent Match’s achievements were successfully showcased, along with the value of collaborative efforts in addressing youth unemployment.
If you are planning to host or attend an event, and would like PR and communications support to take it to the next level, then please do reach out.
