Making Great Communities Incubator
The Making Great Communities project is looking for YOUR ideas to make change, work with your communities, and respond to needs which you identify.
What does community mean to you?
This project is an incubator style programme that invites you to bring an idea, build on it, learn how to develop projects, and work with your community while being supported by community advocate experts and mentors to make your idea into a reality.
What might this look like?
Maybe you have observed a gap in your community, a space that could do with some support or creativity? Perhaps you feel very strongly about a topic or theme and want to build advocacy for this across Manchester? Maybe you are already volunteering or working with a group or community, and you want to support this area further? Do you see inequality, opportunities for better services, do you want to build your voice and find a way to advocate with others? Do you have an idea for a project or see a method for building positive action?
Then we want to hear from you!
You do not have to have a fully formed idea to join the Incubator just a desire to make something positive happen. All we are looking for are students who want to do good in places they know, live or work in. We want to work with YOU to help shape ideas and observations, into meaningful and helpful interventions, investments, projects or opportunities.
This sounds a bit vague eh!? Well, thats because we are not setting the scope for your ideas. We are calling this programme an Incubator, because you get to bring your personality, your observations, your community needs to the project, and we will help you to bake the idea until its golden, and ready to serve.
In an Incubator project you can expect to work with experts, be mentored and feel supported to build a robust project, idea or product. You will meet other likeminded students who have great ideas (or tiny, minuscule and half baked ideas), and work with each other and experts to see ideas become fully formed. You will learn what it takes to run a project, be organised and build contingency. You will be supported to build connections, network and make the links you need to make things happen.
By joining this Making Great Communities Incubator, you will be the drivers of your own ideas, and receive wrap around support to see ideas become real, and make real impact on the communities you live and work in. You are best placed to build strong connections in your community, whatever that community looks like. Maybe you live in an area that needs some youth services. Perhaps your community are spread across Greater Manchester and you want to build connections. Maybe your community is online, and you would like to meet and connect IRL? Whatever you think this project means, we want to hear from you, and work together!
What you can get in return:
At the end of the Incubator once you have shared your concept, there will be the option to make your idea reality with university seed funding and/or mentor support.
Associated Badges:
In A Nutshell...
- Develop... an idea from inception into production
- Engage... in workshops that will support your idea development
- Make change... in areas you feel could benefit from social good. Work in communities you live in and make change
- Learn... get support and learn from practitioners who already do good in places. Receive mentoring and support for your project idea
- Make it happen... pitch ideas to receive funding and make these Good things happen in your community!
- Earn up to 300 Rise points ... which can be recognised within your degree.
Schedule
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09:00 to 10:00 on 14/02/24
Pre session article This is pre-project time. An opportunity for you to read through some content and get inspired by other BIG ideas that have taken place out there... Access Associated Resource → -
10:45 to 12:00 on 14/02/24 - GM Lecture Theatre 4
Confidence and YOUR Future Attend this talk to begin building your confidence in your future, reflect on your hopes and aspirations in preparation for the Incubator project. -
13:00 to 16:00 on 14/02/24 - Ground floor Business School South Atrium (behind canteen)
Week ONE Think BIG: Ideas, Your Story and You WHY... Access Associated Resource → -
13:00 to 16:00 on 21/02/24 - Ground floor Business School South Atrium (behind canteen)
Week TWO Projects & Ideas: Where, what, how, when... -
13:00 to 16:00 on 28/02/24 - Ground floor Business School South Atrium (behind canteen)
Week THREE Testing the water: what is feedback and development? Access Associated Resource → -
13:00 to 16:00 on 06/03/24 - Business School 3.04 (South Atrium)
Week FOUR In Action! Testing and Trialling Access Associated Resource → -
13:00 to 16:00 on 13/03/24 - Sandra Burslem 3.06 (Manchester Law school building, access through Business school)
Week FIVE Building your story: Narrative and confidence Access Associated Resource → -
13:00 to 16:00 on 20/03/24 - Sandra Burslem G.04
Week SIX Sharing Session: CELEBRATION! Access Associated Resource → -
13:00 to 16:00 on 24/04/24 - TBC
Seed Funding panel event The session where you will share your idea and request the funding you need to get your project started. You will share your story, receive feedback, and have the opportunity to pitch for the money you need to begin!