I just filled in some documentation for companies house, and looking at our incorporation date of 16/1/2013, it dawned on me we had been going for 10 whole years, which got me thinking… not bad going I thought. Despite swimming against a tsunami of cuts to the community, public and third sectors we have managed to outlast 4 prime Ministers, 6 chancellors and God knows how many SOS for education…and probably done more to improve the quality of life in this country than all of them put together.
I then cast my mind back to how it all started, 6 of us practitioners in a smoke-filled (if only) room in Leeds, desperately trying to replace work and jobs lost when the kings of austerity, Cameron and Osbourne, decided to all but abolish the community regeneration sector. We wanted to create something that we could use as a vehicle for carrying on the work we had all been doing throughout our careers; improving life chances for those in more deprived areas. After an afternoon of intense discussion (well about half an hour of that and the rest lamenting how this was the worst government in living memory-now officially the 4th worst in living memory), we came up with… ‘Your Back Yard’, a social enterprise, CIC, to work with communities on improving community facilities and services, with a definite focus on the more deprived parts of West Yorkshire and the Northeast.
Started out with 3 working directors, one turned out to have the lifespan of an education secretary, leaving Robin and I to work together. Him based in our Newcastle office (aka his bedroom) and me in our Leeds offices (aka my bedroom) for 5 years or so. Not the most propitious times to be starting out, when your company has zero track record, the government is ideologically opposed to pretty much everything you are doing and no one has any money (although at least you could get in and out of ‘A and E’ on the same day you went in!)
Achievements
Despite all that, we have, working alongside some fantastic community groups and partner originations, delivered over 50 projects. I won’t bore you with all the details, have a look on our website, https://www.yourbackyard.org.uk/projects/ Hand on heart I think there was only 1, (the project that dare not speak its name!) where we didn’t achieve at least as much, if not more than we set out to
Where we were-day one
Struggling to generate work in a decimated and demoralized sector without any track record
Where we were after 5 years
Still struggling to grow, but track record starting to look good…
Where we are now
Finally, breaking through? Smashing, or at least cracking the glass ceiling, getting past the Gladwell tipping point..??
- Thanks to the fantastic work of our placements, we have a great reputation for delivering digital inclusion, cafes and support, to older adults-work is growing, with a 6th café about to start in Beeston
- About to appoint 2 new workers; outreach and volunteer co-ordinator
- Our online classes have been running for 2 years..always a struggle to find funding to keep them going, but we keep managing it
- Our walking football team, still going after 3 years..
- Great partnerships with 100% digital, Neighbourhood Networks, Leeds City Council, local councillors, care teams and more!
What does the future hold?
- Get that community gym and healthy living café opened!
- Deliver at least 1 of the great ideas we have been developing around renewable energy and community energy schemes
- Expand our digital inclusion offer
- Get the women’s walking football and netball teams as established as our mixed team
- Expand our online offer, and get it on a sustainable footing
- At least get the members of my own family to listen to our brilliant podcast! https://open.spotify.com/episode/57zokoNhvmn4rd3Q9EVljW?si=77592c7fcd2b4ffd
We couldn’t have done it without you… A huge thank you to
- Our 5 placements from the Uni of Leeds: Tori, Abby, Sydney, Kyra and Victoria – all stupendously good
- The University of Leeds – particularly Suzanne Hallam
- 100% Digital – shoutout to the incredible Rachel!
- Councillor Kevin Ritchie
- Fran (we miss you!), Lee and all at BEA and OWLS our 2 local neighbourhood networks,
- All the other neighbourhood networks—OPAL, Cross gates, RHEA, Otley, Armley,
- Our brilliant instructors – Arun, Sarah, Sydney, Jenny, and all who came, and went before
- All those who serve, and who have served, on our board-not the most glamorous job in the world but we literally could not have done anything without you!
- Leeds City Council – the Community Committees, Housing Advisory Panels, and local councillors (not you Adel!)
Written by Tony Mullin, Founder and Director of Your Back Yard
