Partner Profile
North Manchester Community Partnership
North Manchester Community Partnership (NMCP) is a union of seven community-based organisations working towards common goals in North Manchester. John Curtin, who manages the partnership, is one of 14 National Ambassadors for Good Things Foundation, a leading organisation in all things digital inclusion.
Through cooperation, the partnership aims to help those in impoverished and deprived areas gain new life skills, to propel them into employment and other training opportunities; working across North Manchester to offer work club activities, benefits advice services, digital skills training, accredited online training and volunteering opportunities. Not only do they offer local people with the chance to upskill themselves, but they also help build confidence with community led events and activities.
“We aim to support the people of North Manchester to engage more fully socially, economically and to tackle some of the health and general inequalities that exist. We work with our communities to find solutions to local poverty - mainly through Digital.”
Building their digital inclusion offer
North Manchester Community Partnership were one of the first members of Manchester’s digital inclusion network since its inception in 2019, and when COVID-19 hit and took everything online, they remained in touch. In 2021, we collaborated with NMCP to help launch the Let’s Get Digital project, and since then we’ve had over 18 months of partnership working to help deliver digital inclusion initiatives across the north of Manchester.
We’ve helped NMCP build their Digital Champion volunteers, and provided them with tablets and other devices over the years to help tackle the main obstacles to digital and social exclusion.
The Partnership first joined the Good Things Foundation UK Online Centres Network in 2015 after identifying a gap in the digital support available across North Manchester.
Embedding digital into their ongoing sessions was the first step towards building their inclusion offers. Beginning with assisted digital support sessions to help people with online forms and more, and moving onto using the Learn My Way program for basic skills support, NMCP have helped over 7000 local people, with many achieving essential digital skills certificates.
“Our services range from UC journal training, claiming of all benefits online, housing and repairs applications, shopping, NHS prescriptions, school applications, bus passes, bank accounts and the list goes on. Year on year we have been a huge promoter of Accredited Pre-employment online courses, and over 1400 people have completed these courses with us since 2016.”
Impact
Rafaut, a 52 year old woman, decided to stop working to focus on her health and her daughter, and during the lockdowns of 2020 she found herself with a lot of extra time on her hands. After some careful reflection and introspection, she decided she was going to take back control of her life by learning new things and becoming an inspiring role model for her daughter.
She found out about North Manchester Community Partnership’s digital skills course through a local community newspaper, and deciding that she needed to learn some new skills, began attending two sessions a week.
“I want a tool kit of skills, I want to fill my CV and get back into work, that's my goal”
She now wants to help others gain the confidence to learn new skills and is considering doing an accredited course online prior to restarting as a volunteer in the community.
“Coming to the classes has built my confidence and motivated me so much thanks to my tutor Andrew. He has been so patient with me, I'm so glad I started this course”
Perry was a personal carer for his mum until she passed away. He ended up claiming Universal Credit, which meant he had to use the internet to manage his claim.
He worked with a Be Well advisor who asked if he fancied doing some volunteering for them. Perry agreed and they sent him for some training. When Perry arrived for the training, he realised it was all on a computer, which he didn’t know how to use.
So to get him upskilled, he was referred to Yes where he completed a basic digital skills course using Learn My Way. Perry also learnt how to design posters and create spreadsheets. He then started to volunteer for Yes and was sent on an employability course. By helping people at Yes with rehousing applications and Universal Credit forms, Perry’s confidence grew. Then Yes asked him to volunteer on reception, booking appointments and answering the phone.
Now he is using his skills to help others and even to book cheap plane tickets for himself, so he can enjoy his well earned time off.
“You could save a lot of money by booking tickets in this way”
