About Us
The Novas Scarman Group Manchester provides neighbourhood based support for new and small voluntary and community groups across the city of Manchester. Groups with an annual income of less than £50,000 will be able to receive a range of free support services, aimed at helping groups to better deliver services for their local communities or communities of interest.
We work in communities listening to the needs of local people, supporting them to fulfil their goals, using our knowledge and their expertise to find solutions to problems and to seize opportunities.
Small groups and individuals are able to receive a range of support and training to enable them to develop in a way that they want to.
To deliver this effectively, the Novas Scarman Group has an experienced and local project team with a good knowledge of their communities and a wealth of experience within the sector. They have access to local and national networks and resources and are able to provide tailored-made training in areas such as finance, fundraising, planning, IT and management skills.
Assistance is also available for groups and individuals to negotiate the bureaucratic maze of funding applications.
Groups will have access to the Novas Scarman resources through regular support sessions at venues within communities.
The Novas Scarman Group Manchester team is part of the national Novas Scarman Group, a charity committed to helping citizens bring about change in their community, in the way that they want.
Novas Scarman Group
On 12 December 2007, The Scarman Trust, the Novas Group and PATH National merged to create a major new social justice charity – the Novas Scarman Group.
The new organisation has four core activities:
- Community support services serving the most disadvantaged communities.
- Clusters of social enterprises based in Contemporary Urban Centres.
- Nation-wide programmes of learning and inclusive pathways to work.
- Campaigning and policy advocacy work – “connecting the streets with the corridors of power”.
The Scarman Trust has pioneered support for grassroots social entrepreneurs and recently helped to develop proposals for a new Social Investment Bank – backed by both Gordon Brown and David Cameron. PATH supports Black and Minority Ethnic entrants to professions and has recently been given both the RTPI and Civil Service Diversity Award.
- Michael Wake, Co-Group Chief Executive/Founder of the Novas Scarman Group, described the merging of the three charities as “a joining together of shared values in order to facilitate social justice and social cohesion at a time when the gulf between those that have opportunities and those that don’t is increasing”.
- Maria Donoghue-Mills, Co-Group Chief Executive/Founder of the Novas Scarman Group, added, “Our shared vision is to build on our combined strengths and create an influential and effective catalyst for social justice. This merger represents the achievement of critical mass for the related fields of community development and social enterprise.”
- Matthew Pike, Executive Director of the Novas Scarman Group, commented, “Since the inner city riots of the early 1980’s, many government programmes have failed to change the lives of those that have least access to opportunities. By combining our strengths in community development and social enterprises, the Novas Scarman Group will provide high quality services that will draw on the ideas, creativity and entrepreneurialism of people living on the margins of society. The new group will be a powerhouse of social innovation for social justice.
- PATH CEO Paul Butler said, “PATH is proud to be part of a Group with partners who share such a deep commitment to growing the talents of a diverse society. This merger will help PATH to extend its work, for example helping us to give more Black and minority ethnic professionals access to the field of community regeneration and social enterprise”.
- "Novas has a very impressive record of reaching disadvantaged people and helping them to build better lives. They show just how effectively social enterprise can tackle some of the most difficult social problems. I wish Novas and the Scarman Trust, a strategic partner of the Office of the Third Sector, well in their upcoming merger, and I look forward to working with them in that capacity."
Novas Scarman Group Manchester
Using the shared resources and expertise of its predecessors, the Novas Scarman Group will continue to deliver support and guidance to voluntary and community groups in Manchester.
This support will be taken forward by the same team currently working across the city. Development workers and their contact details remain the same. >>CLICK HERE for the details of the development worker for your area.
To find out more about the Novas Scarman Group, please visit : www.novasscarman.org or contact the Manchester team on 0161 839 2613 or e-mail: support.manchester@novasscarman.org
PLEASE NOTE: The website address www.novasscarmanmanchester.org will continue as the address to access all the regular support and information.
