Projects > Manningham Makeover

Community Space Challenge is about young people (aged 8 to 17) taking on run down and forgotten spaces and changing them into fresh green places for everyone to use and enjoy.

It’s happening in 70 areas of the country and focuses on involving young people growing up in tough situations in learning about the environment, growing fresh food, creating sensory and wildlife community gardens, and linking them into their communities.

At the half way point of the programme over 6,500 young people are involved in transforming their neighbourhoods, giving up over 66,000 hours of their time – that’s the equivalent of more than seven and a half years.
Over 1,400 young people have gained accredited awards that recognise their new skills and improve their chances of getting jobs or further training and over 1,100 are now back into education, training, volunteering or on into work as a result of their involvement.

More than 77% of those who had been in trouble with the police are getting into trouble less – or not at all.

Community Space Challenge is not a one-day makeover or quick fix - it’s a five year commitment. Thanks to over £8 million funding by the Big Lottery it will continue until September 2012. It is managed and led by young people’s charity Catch22 and delivered in partnership with Keep Britain Tidy, the Prince’s Trust, Changemakers and the Youth Justice Board.

We‘re seeing Community Space Challenge make a lasting difference:

• helping young people understand and have a greater role in their local environment and their communities

• helping to reduce anti social behaviour and crime

• offering new educational, volunteering and employment opportunities for the young people involved

• increasing the young people’s skills and confidence

• helping young people understand about healthy eating

• helping to build strong communities and engaging different generations

...by making the community safer and greener

See our leaflet here