Leeds ahead of the field with enterprising scheme

A PROJECT that promotes enterprise in deprived parts of Yorkshire could be rolled out across Britain.

Leeds Ahead, an organisation that enables companies to support community projects, is working with the Government to see if its business model could be copied elsewhere.

Since it was launched, in 2007, Leeds Ahead has helped 220 companies to support around 850 projects. This work has helped 18,000 people to develop skills which will improve their job prospects.

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The team at Leeds Ahead has been visited by delegations from other cities, such as Birmingham, who want to see if they could set up similar schemes.

A Leeds Ahead spokesman said: "The Department of Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Communities and Local Government have also been impressed by the model. Leeds Ahead has been asked to prepare a paper for DCLG on its wider potential."

The initiative is being led by Stephanie Burras, who was once a member of the legal team that represented Sir Elton John in the 1990s.

Although Leeds is one of Europe's biggest centres for legal and financial services, the city still has large areas of deprivation.

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Ms Burras, who is Leeds Ahead's chief executive, believes these inequalities can be reduced through businesses working together.

She added: "Everyone knows that we are facing significant public sector spending cuts across the city. In my view, it would be wrong to regard this as the sole concern of the city council.

"We will all face the effects of these cutbacks and because of this, it is a challenge that we must face up to collectively. We should take every opportunity to be enterprising in how we can deliver services and improvements for less money. The private sector has a key role to play in this."

In 2009, the Audit Commission awarded Leeds Ahead a coveted Green Flag for its work to promote enterprise by working with the private, public and voluntary sectors.

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Leeds Ahead is working on a scheme which will enable businesses based in the city centre and Holbeck Urban Village to improve their links with neighbouring communities.

The project, which is due to be launched next month, will build on work carried out by Leeds City Council.

A Leeds Ahead spokesman said: "The scheme will connect the skills and talents of those working within business to a wide range of local projects that need their help. This might, for example, include bringing expert marketing or design skills to support a community-led initiative."

Leeds Ahead, which is a not-for-profit organisation, has matched 45 entrepreneurs with mentors over the last year. It has also established links between young people who have been out of work for more than six months, and local employers.

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Electronics distributor Premier Farnell, Yorkshire Bank, Kodak and Hewlett Training have taken young people on placements.

Leeds Ahead also employs a town centre manager in west Leeds, who is working with the local council to support firms in Pudsey and Armley.

This scheme has included an initiative to reduce crime against businesses and the development of local business forums.

Around 300 pupils at the David Young Community Academy have received careers advice, thanks to a partnership with Arup, the design and engineering company.

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Ms Burras added: "What I am most proud of is the way in which businesses large and small have responded to the call to action Leeds Ahead has made.

"Their involvement is making a huge difference to this city and the lives of its residents, particularly those living in poorer neighbourhoods.

"Four years ago, I would never have believed that we would now be looking at this breadth and depth of corporate activity in our communities.

"We have incredible public spirit within this city and if we can build on this through the difficult years ahead, I think Leeds can look forward with optimism."

Mentoring success

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Leeds Ahead is co-ordinating a mentoring scheme which enables businesswomen to provide career guidance to teenage girls in the Seacroft and Manston areas of Leeds.

One of the mentors, a Leeds-based marketing manager, said many of the girls had started to become more confident after just a handful of mentoring sessions.

She said: "Many of the girls don't have positive role models. They don't know what the options are, apart from going on benefits and having children at an early age."

Companies involved in mentoring at schools around Manston and Seacroft include Logistik, Barclays Corporate and Grant Thornton.