The Ripple Effect

The "Ripple Effect" can take many forms and there are numerous definitions. Understanding our impact is quite often difficult to measure, quantify or gauge.

"In sociology, it can be observed how social interactions can affect situations not directly related to the initial interaction, and in charitable activities where information can be disseminated and passed from community to community to broaden its impact." Wikipedia

Since my initial blog I have met many more people from various organisations, all extremely busy in numerous ways. Raising money and awareness; helping to understand their communities; challenging the status quo as well as building bridges and alliances.

Over the last few weeks, most of us have marvelled at what our Olympians have achieved. Whatever their starting point in life, their dedication and resilience has held us all in awe. So in my post Olympic blues I got to thinking about what we all do and what journeys we are taking; how we are challenging ourselves to be better and stronger, not in the sense of our Olympians but as representatives of our families, employers and most importantly communities.

In the Leeds City Region for instance there is a great piece of work underway called "5,3,1" and no it's not got Ted Rogers or Dusty Bin in it!  The programme is based around the following:-

• Five things you can do;
• Three reasons to do them; and
• One positive outcome

Have a look and encourage businesses you know to think about signing up for the programme.

www.leedscityregion.gov.uk/fivethreeone.htm

On the community funding side of things, I met the charming lady called Sally-Anne Greenfield and she was extremely generous with her time, particularly in explaining the aims of the foundation and the funding it can help community groups access. More to follow on this in coming weeks and months. www.leedscf.org.uk

Nearer to home I met up with Matthew Norton from Lloyds Bank who runs their volunteering programme in the North of England, whilst also running his own charity in Kenya! His next challenge is to engage colleagues in a bigger "Ride the World" cycle race where he is hoping our collective pedal power will raise £240k for Save the Children. Also he told me that around 25% of colleagues volunteered in 2011 and I think this number is continuing to grow. Go on, you can feel proud!

Last but definitely not least. I spent four very enjoyable hours with three of Leeds finest Community Inspectors. I wont embarress them by name, but take it from me Policing has changed!

With their help and community links, I am hoping to be able to update you shortly with some of the projects I will be seeking your help with. You have been warned!

Anyway if you have been away I hope it was a time for relaxation and if you are due to get away shortly, do enjoy the time with your family and friends.

All the best

Shaun

New boy

Well I am just starting the first day of week two, so I thought I would give you a quick update on my first week and how different it is than the world of banking.

First of all lots of people have asked me what is it you will be doing and who is Business in the Community (BITC). This was encapsulated best by my Mother in Law, asking "how do I explain it to Mary and John at the quiz!"

Well for your benefit (as well as Mary and John) BITC is one of the oldest, largest and most influential charities driving responsible business practice. BITC believes that through transforming businesses they can transform communities and by doing so, create a sustainable future for both.

The education, enterprise and employment focus is a large area of our work but certainly not all of it. It is however, the area that business connectors are focusing their work.

It is no flash in the pan either, as they recently celebrated their 30th anniversary.

The Business Connector role, well here is a snapshot:-

• Helping young people into education training or jobs 
• Supporting local community organisations to survive or increase their provision, with support from the local private sector
• Increasing the level of community participation and cohesion
• Facilitating business mentoring, role modelling, skill enhancement activity for: young people; community organisations; social enterprises; etc

Secondly, the location. BITC in Yorkshire is based in Pudsey, which is 20 minutes outside Leeds and about the same from Bradford and is quite provincial. No bespoke sandwich shops here, its good old fashioned food and you are grateful for it!

The team are all really welcoming and want to work with me, most of all to guide me through the breadth and depth of the voluntary sector and the myriad of programmes BITC offer http://www.bitc.org.uk/programmes/index.html.

Last week I started to get to grips with who is already working in the city, some of the programmes already being worked on and frankly the huge amount of goodwill being targeted to make the City Region better.http://www.leedscityregion.gov.uk/home.aspx 

On Tuesday my colleague Jo invited me to a meeting at the Civic Hall, Leeds hosted by The Big Lottery http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/ entitled "Fulfilling lives: supporting young people into work". There are 20 regions in the UK that have been targetted amongst them Manchester, Liverpool and the Leeds City Region. An investment of £100m over 5 years is on offer, though by the time you break it down to local areas it is much lower and value for money will very much be the order of the day.

The rest of the week felt like a reading week ahead of exams. I could hear Bamber Gascoigne or Jeremy Paxman (depending on your age!) saying "Shaun Ellenthorpe, Univeristy BITC Leeds" after each tome I read. Pet subjects now include Leeds City Region, the Deprivation Index (which of course I checked where I lived and my friends, family), Deprivation in South and East Leeds etc etc.

So as this is the first one and with the vain hope that you have managed to read this far, I will leave you with a few early observations.

The charity/voluntary sector feels just like the "corporate" world in that there are some immensely bright, talented and driven individuals. The problems they face are more and more being tackled, as we would, by breaking down what resources they have and don't (money), the scale of the problem and highlighting key milestones to celebrate success.

Enjoy your week, hopefully more Olympic success for Team GB and I will be back in touch in a few weeks time.

Shaun

P.S. I have also joined the world of Twitter @BITCShaun