Our Social Investment Strategy

When you look at our mission and vision, you can see the definitions are really broad, but at the same time, we know that we need to focus our efforts on areas that are relevant to both our communities and our business.

Therefore, to ensure that we do this, we have adopted the following priorities that will hopefully give us outcomes  that benefit our communities in the best way possible. Each of these priority outcomes has projects and work that contribute to achieving our overall social aims. 

1. Stronger more resilient communities:  Supporting the capacity of local groups and individuals enabling them contribute to their own communities. 
2. Improved places and reduced environmental impact:  Enhancing the local environment, and acting responsibly to  reduce our impact on global environmental issues.
3. Stronger more resilient local economy:  Enabling more people to be active within our local economies,  and supporting local business to develop and grow.  
4. Healthier and happier people in our communities:  Providing and supporting activities and services that improve wellbeing and reduce social isolation.

One Manchester will target resources to achieve our  social priorities according to the following principles:

1. Evidence and intelligence based:  Combining insight of frontline staff, customers and partners, with data analysis to inform decision making and stimulate creative solutions. For example, One Manchester is working in Partnership with Shift
   Foundation to increase the impact that our services and investment have on the financial resilience of our customers based on in depth research.
2. Place based:  Understanding the unique characteristics that define places within our neighbourhoods with consideration to both needs and assets. Ensuring that investment priorities are adapted to ensure they are appropriate at local level. All One Manchester staff are allocated to one of our place areas and encouraged to get to know the local area, and help support local events, activities and groups.
3. Leverage and partnership:  Working with partners to help increase our impact by helping secure additional resources and coordinating efforts with others who share our social objectives. One Manchester secured £100,000 to lead on the development of a local giving scheme in East Manchester with a range of partners. This project will help secure investment in local priorities from local businesses and the community to increase the impact of our own investment in the area. We are continuing to work in close collaboration with other housing providers and partners to maximise the impact of our social investment.
4. Social Innovation:  We are an imaginative organisation, always lookingfor new and innovative ways of investing, partnering
   and bringing people together to make a long-lasting, positive impact on the communities in which we work. Last year we launched our first round of social innovation calls resulting in investments into five innovative projects including a parent supported childcare service.
5. Enabling long term sustainable solutions:  Whilst we can respond and react to opportunities we will prioritise work towards sustainable and lasting solutions to social issues. All organisations who received funding from our community fund get offered support from our staff, often helping them with skills and knowledge to help improve their organisations.

One Manchester recognises that there are numerous ways in which we can and do achieve our social objectives.
 

1. In house services:  We provide a range of services, supported by our staff that have a direct impact on improving people’s lives.For example, our One Money team provide free financial advice and support and our One Future team provide a range of support to help people develop the skills and confidence to find employment.
2. Pro-bono support:  Our core staff support local communities with their time and expertise, adding value to local projects and organisations. For example, our assets team have provided specialist surveying support to Hulme Community Garden Centre to develop their ambitious plans for expansion.
3. Commissions: We commission social enterprises, charities, and businesses helping them to build capacity and achieve our social objectives. For example, we have recently commissioned the Architectural School for Children (TASC) to undertake work with local schools and community groups to engage people in improving local landscapes.
4. Joint ventures:  We partner with other public agencies, businesses and charities to establish joint projects and ventures. 
5. Community Grants:  We provide grant funding to community organisations, enabling them to provide services and facilities in our communities. For example, we have pledged to invest £100,000/year through our community fund, now in its 4th year, our community soup events provide a social occasion and an opportunity for local people to have a real say in the projects that we support in their area.
6. Social Finance:  We are proactive in seeking opportunities for social investment where it aligns with our social purpose and can consider different forms of social investment and grant. Last year we invested in our first Community Share offer supporting Projeckts MCR fund the expansion of their familty friendly skate park.
7. Asset licenses /leases:  We make use of our commercial, residential and community assets to support community projects
   and host a range of activities. We have developed a socially purposed lease of the Boiler House in Moss Side to Sow the City which will enable a range of activities and services to support the local community including a Men’s Shed project and repair café.
8. Supply chain:  We have policies and processes in place to ensure that Social Value is considered in all of our procurement activities engaging our supply chain in delivering on our social priorities. We look to invest in locally based suppliers where possible that create fairly paid employment opportunities for our communities. For example PSN Painting Ltd, a Salford based painting Contractor have delivered a range of social benefits to the community whilst completing a One Manchester Communal area painting contract covering tower blocks and flats. This contract has included £2,000 Retail vouchers to support our entrenched rough sleepers project; Donating paint and materials to the Boiler House project; Donating art equipment and stationery to One Manchester’s Homework / Craft clubs; and a donation of 20 brushes and 10 rollers to
   support the renewal of a Crumpsall property for the Mayoral Bed Every Night scheme-providing access to shelter for rough sleepers through the winter months.

We will focus our investment priorities on the areas in which we manage housing stock, however we will also support social projects that make more sense at a city wide or Greater Manchester scale. Our main priority areas can be seen on this map:

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Our theory of change shows the various ways in which we are working towards our social  priorities. We have developed a set of social performance indicators which along with our case studies we will use to produce a set of social accounts on an annual basis. The pdf of our social investment strategy includes this theory of change.