The Screen Community saw the Enterprise Development Programme (EDP) as an opportunity to learn how to make the income stream in their social enterprise more sustainable and gradually less grant reliant.
Social Impact
Getting access into the TV and Film industry is often a minefield for most young people. The Screen Community aim to bridge the access gap in the industry by providing young people who are the most disadvantaged, underfunded and at risk training, development and guidance in order to competitively pursue opportunities.
They mostly work with young people aged 14-25, providing highly professional courses in film and television with routes to employment and further education.
The programme they provide are focused on accessible learning, where sessions typically start with discussions about film and how it makes them feel. This connection and appreciation for film as an art form is then transferred into the practical section of the programme when young people get the opportunities to create their own shorts. These projects can then be added to the show reel or portfolios for future job applications.
The organisation also aims to provide young people interested in careers in the field networking opportunities as well as insight into academies and schemes that are not well known to those outside the industry. Moreover, the also provide support for young people who are actively applying for jobs and have helped many young people secure interviews and roles in the industry.
How we helped
The Screen Community were keen to apply to the EDP because the programme offered not only grant financing but also the ability to learn as an organisation. A core component of the EDP is the provision of classes and training for social enterprises to support them in their journey to make their organisations more financially resilient. The Screen Community have used the programme to help them focus their marketing efforts to connect with local schools to provide film and camera courses for students. Many schools have already registered interest and have signed up for their services. The grant funding also allowed them to have the people capacity necessary to compile a database of schools and do all the follow up contact that was necessary for the school’s marketing campaign.
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"The main highlight was all the talks, the sense that there are other organisations in similar situations and on similar journeys. We want to utilise this more, to use that network and to test ideas with them"
Kate Herron
Production and Youth manager of The Screen Community
Rav Kumar, a young person that had taken part in many of The Screen Community projects across a variety of projects and was now assisting with the development of the organization had the following to say:
What was the outcome?
The grant as well as the programme has allowed The Screen Community to dedicate time and resources to pursue alternative methods of generating revenue for their organisation.
The cohort framework of the scheme has also them up to the possibilities of collaborating with other social enterprises that have similar goals, for example, youth-focused organisations that specialise in mental health provisions through activity.
Most importantly the programme has allowed The Screen Community to look forward to the development of the organisation which will include plans for permanent premises or a studio to increase the programmes and courses they offer as well as generate revenue for space and equipment. The EDP has also increased the organisation’s awareness of social investment as a possible future financing option to continue to grow its outreach.
