CASE STUDY

Reclaim

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A ground-breaking youth mentoring project, Reclaim originated at Urbis, Manchester’s contemporary cultural centre. Originally set up as a pilot scheme to work with teenaged boys from the Moss Side area who were nominated by their communities as needing mentoring support and also faced additional street pressures in an area blighted by gang crime, Reclaim has since been expanded to other areas in the city.

We introduced the work of Reclaim to the media through case studies and positive

examples of the work done, resulting achievements and individuals involved. The whole campaign required sensitive, considered handling to avoid the pitfall of stereotyping the young people involved and, at the same time, to encourage the media to engage with their stories.

The project received national coverage in Times Educational Supplement, The Guardian, Dispatches’ for Channel 4, Radio 1Xtra, First News and Radio 4’s ‘Woman’s Hour’. Journalists Eric Allison (The Guardian)

and Greg McKenzie (BBC Radio 1) have become active participants and champions of Reclaim, since meeting the young people involved.