SESKU Academy
VAWD supports SESKU Academy's journey towards becoming a successful social enterprise
Social enterprise SESKU Academy has praised the support it has received from Voluntary Action Wakefield District (VAWD) over the past three years during a period of rapid growth. The Academy began as a small group without premises and was formally constituted in 2006. In 2011 it was awarded £494,259 by the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching Communities Award.
SESKU Community Learning & Skills Academy was established to develop the South East District of Wakefield through offering employment and training opportunities to young people and unemployed people.
"I would like to thank Voluntary Action Wakefield District (VAWD) and Peter Foyle (Healthier Communities Fund Co-ordinator) for all their advice, guidance, and support during the past three years. They believed in our project, and ability to make a difference and change the lives of people living in deprived communities. Without VAWD’s support organisations such as ours would cease to exist."
Adam Redfern, SESKU Academy Senior Manager 2011
About SESKU Academy and how VAWD supported its journey of growth
SESKU Academy was formally constituted in 2006, and ran after school martial arts sessions in the SESKU area (South Elmsall, South Kirkby, Upton). This is an isolated ex-mining area in the South East of the district, showing high levels of deprivation. It includes two of the Council’s 12 priority neighbourhoods.
The group contacted VAWD to enquire about the Healthier Communities Fund, which was open to applications from local groups to deliver work on childhood obesity and long-term conditions.
At this point they were an unincorporated association, renting a church hall for their sessions, and administered by the organiser, Adam Redfern, from his home.
They were successful in their bid, and as part of the process completed an organisational healthcheck to see where they needed to develop. The following areas were identified:
- On VAWD's advice, they became a company limited by guarantee to reflect their increased responsibilities; they needed more board members, representing a range of interests.
- While many key policies were already in place, some additional policies were needed, e.g. on reserves and document retention.
- Financial procedures needed revising to reflect the larger scale of operations.
VAWD forwarded model documents relating to the above to them.
The organisation developed strongly over the two years of the Healthier Communities Fund, not just delivering that project, but in other areas of work.
It acquired a building for the martial arts work, and an office base. It appointed staff through the Future Jobs Fund, and worked with the Parish Council to develop an unused local school into a community centre. They have always been keen to look for further sources of funding, and sought VAWD’s advice on a number of occasions, as well as lobbying NHS Wakefield District and the Council.
VAWD recommended they apply for Reaching Communities. They prepared a bid for activities in the building for the local community. VAWD advised on the preparation of the bid, which was successful. SESKU Academy was awarded £494,259 securing the future of the organisation and its programme of work for five years.
The drive and ambition to grow has come from the group, but VAWD has been on hand to guide them through the development process, providing information, advice, and support through the process and long-term sustainability.
Their website shows their current activities:
www.sesku-communitylearning.co.uk
Publication date: 5 December 2011
