Improving outcomes for young people
Vision: Empowering Clifton's youth for success through opportunity, choice, and achievement by 2035
The Clifton Collective Impact Initiative (CCII) is an inter-agency, community initiative which aims to bring together young people, residents, NTU, schools, community organisations, public sector organisations and statutory services to bring about change in outcomes for young people in Clifton.
The methodology being followed is called ‘Systems Thinking’, where partners work together to identify the priorities of the area and then acting collectively to initiate change. Collective Impact, the approach being used to deliver the methodology, takes a systemic approach to social impact. It focuses on the relationships between organisations and the progress toward shared objectives as a mechanism for implementing system level change.
By 2035, our goal is to improve the life chances of young people in Clifton. We want to empower them to participate in meaningful activities that promote self-confidence and belief, enabling them to achieve educational outcomes that will equip them with the necessary tools to pursue their life goals. Additionally, we want to ensure that they have the opportunity to progress into future studies or employment opportunities after leaving school.
Key areas for action
The following are the main areas of work that have been identified through the listening work and surveys undertaken, decided upon by and with community members.
Reduce barriers to employment
Young people from the Clifton area are facing barriers in entering the workforce. We want to close the gap in unemployment rates and economic inactivity and reduce the number of out of work benefit claimants.
Increase attainment
Whilst attainment levels in English at Key Stage 2 from children in the Clifton area are comparable to their peers in Nottingham City, we want to take a community wide approach to reducing the notable drop in attainment levels between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4.
Increase access to pro-social activities
Working alongside residents, services, businesses, and young people, we want to increase the number of pro social activities and opportunities for young people in the area and reduce levels of anti-social behaviour which has become a concern for the community.
Steering Group membership
The Steering Group is made up of a range of individuals and representatives of organisations, shown below
Nottingham Trent University – Centre of Student and Community Engagement : Nottingham City Council – Resident Development : Housing Services, Economic Development : Good Companions : Farnborough Spencer Academy : Highbank Primary & Nursery School : Clifton Scouts : Councillors : Church of England : Police : Community Members : Parkgate Community Centre : Summerwood Community Gardens
Progress and impact
Achievements (Summer 2022– February 2024)
· Partners convened and common agenda developed.
· Community Survey undertaken, 53 respondents.
· June 2023: Launch event held with over 30 attendees.
· Partners have been trained in Systems Leadership via workshops run by place-based change specialists, Place Matters.
· Better working relationships have been developed within the community.
· CCII have begun to map the system surrounding young people in Clifton and their life chances. This will continue to be developed as we gain more insights from actors within the system, including young people.
Work in progress
Developing the steering group membership roles and governance to forming two working groups:
· Education and attainment
· Pro-social activities
· Building the youth voice as part of the CCII, to ensure young people involved in decision making.
· Supporting Nottingham City Council on the development of the Clifton Town Board.
Impact
· There is evidence of change within partners. Farnborough Spencer Academy have created a team of 55 Community Leaders to enhance community engagement across four different workstreams, and the CCII is helping to provide some of the contacts and context for this to take place.
· The first Youth Voice workshop with 10 young people from Farnborough Spencer Academy was held on NTU Campus in January 2024.
· Funding is being secured through Safer Streets 5 to deliver a youth listening exercise. A Youth Leadership training programme will be developed to ensure that young people are empowered and equipped to have their say on local issues.
· Partners have reflected on unhelpful practices of their organisations (such as funding models which promote competition rather than collaboration) and begun to make changes which will help systemic change.
Next Steps
The Collective Impact Initiative has the potential to actively support and directly feed into the Clifton Town Board. The scope and scale of this will be clearer once there is more certainty about the focus, membership and function of the Town Board. Focussing on how this Board will work with the CCII and how the voice of young people will be heard are important next steps.
Get in touch with CenSCE
If you have any questions or would like to get in touch email: CenSCE@ntu.ac.uk