Last year, Savannah Wisdom funded the position of a Social Justice Manager at the Manchester Museum whose role is to understand the needs of the community, to engage with marginalised groups and those who do not see the museum as a place for them. The Social Justice Manager engages with these groups delivering programmes and activities that will make a difference to these groups as well as encourage participation in the wider museum programmes. In our first impact report we learn that a social justice and environmental action hub has been set up on the top floor. This hub brings together changemakers, service providers and those from marginalised communities – not the typical activity of a museum! This brings in community groups who may not currently be represented by the museum or see the museum as a place for them. The Social Justice Manager has established an age friendly programme for the elderly to access the museum and is working on a programme for those who are economically deprived. A forum with youth found that young people want a programme of events with networking and skills building opportunities. The Saturday club empowers young people to engage and take action on societal issues important to them, discovering how art can be used as a tool for social change. Around 11,000 children living in a two mile radius of the museum experience poverty. Many live in socially fragmented communities with high levels of poor health and inequality. The Social Justice Manager has built key links around food poverty, adding value to the museum held breakfast club positioning the museum as vital community respource.
Savannah Wisdom is pleased with the progress and impact the role is having in the community within and around the museum. Some really positive in-roads have been made and we look forward to progress over the next year