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Message 2024Developing Young People.Creating Opportunities.Opening The Lens On The Youth Perspective.ANNUAL OUTCOMES REPORT
248192324252626FOREWORDABOUT OPEN LENS MEDIAWELCOMING OUR NEW STAFFA MESSAGE FROM THE TEAM2024 PROJECTSA YEAR ONLINEHOPES FOR 20257TABLE OF CONTENTSwww.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 162PLEDGE 10CONCLUSIONSNAPSHOT OF 2024
Hello and welcome to our 2024Annual Report.As the Founder and CEO of Open LensMedia, my focus in recent years hasbeen on building an organisationallegacy rooted in sustainability andmeaningful impact. My goal has alwaysbeen to lead an organisation that notonly enriches the lives of those we serveand employ but also drives lasting,progressive change within thecommunities we touch. This past year,I’m proud to have witnessed this visiontruly begin to take shape, as our effortsand aspirations translated into tangibleoutcomes.2FOREWORDThis vision of creating meaningful impact has driven significant growth over the lasttwelve months, with our team expanding in capacity and reach. We’ve extended ourgeographical footprint and developed new partnerships and relationships, all of whichhave majorly contributed to the tremendous outcomes you will read about in this report. While this growth has been remarkable, it has also required us to adapt, ensuring thatnew opportunities align seamlessly with our mission. Looking back on the past year, Iam proud to say that Open Lens Media has embraced this challenge, transformingopportunities into meaningful progress.At the close of 2023, I was thrilled to announce that we had successfully secured fundingto fully roll out our Pathways Employability Programme. With the support of TheNational Lottery Community Fund, this year has been a tremendous period of growthand development for the young people and young adults we serve through thisinitiative. Additionally, the continued backing from the Triangle Trust has enabled us tosustain the impactful work we’ve been doing with Youth Justice Services, addressingdisproportionality among young Black and Mixed Heritage boys.
Thank you,Daina Anderson MpunziFounder & CEO3The support we’ve received this year, from The National LotteryCommunity Fund to the Triangle Trust, has laid a strongfoundation for future initiatives, including our new partnershipwith The Lloyds Bank Foundation. Their support over the nextthree years will help us refine our strategy as we move toward oursustainability goals and ensure that the leadership within ourorganisation continues to develop to drive Open Lens Mediaforward. On behalf of our Board of Directors, I’d like to publiclythank The Lloyds Bank Foundation and express our gratitude forthis opportunity and the progress we will make together in theyears ahead.Looking ahead to 2025, I am excited to continue our journey ofgrowth and development. At the start of 2024, we set a bold goalto support 1,000 young people and young adults intoemployment, education, and training over the next five years. Itruly believe that the progress we’ve made in 2024 has positionedus well to turn this dream into a reality.2024I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to our Board ofDirectors and our operational team for their unwavering dedication to our mission.Their hard work, loyalty, passion, and commitment are the foundation of our success,and I am honoured to lead and work alongside them every day to fulfil our socialmission: “To contribute to the development of a more equitable society where youngpeople have equal access to progressive opportunities in employment, education,and training, regardless of their socio-economic background.”Lastly, I want to express my thanks to our partners, supporters, advocates, andeveryone who has worked with us this past year. Your continued support is vital tothe work we do.I’m pleased to invite you to join us in celebrating our 2024 accomplishments, asshared by the Open Lens Media team in this report. Together, let’s continue ourmission of ‘Developing Young People. Creating Opportunities and Opening the Lenson the Youth Perspective.’
ABOUT OPEN LENS MEDIAwww.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 1624Open Lens Media is a Development, Engagement and Employability SocialEnterprise. We utilise creative approaches in Media and Digital Technology toprovide employability, educational, engagement, training and communityconsultation services to young people and youth focused agencies. We specialise in working directly with children, young people and young adultsbetween the ages of 11-16, 17-24 and 25-35 stemming from disenfranchised and lowsocio-economic backgrounds. Our Social Mission is to contribute to the development of a moreequitable society where young people and young adults haveequal access to progressive opportunities in employment,education, and training regardless of their socio-economicbackground. We strive to ensure that young people and young adults fromdisenfranchised backgrounds are well equipped with the toolsand skills they need to reach their goals and fulfil theiraspirations in order to lay hold of a brighter future. Our Social Mission
www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 1625Our ValuesEnsuring every personwe work with feels safeand supported.Understanding theimportance of culturaldifferences and communityintersectionality.Respecting the diverseviewpoints, backgrounds,and cultures of individualsin contributing to what wedo. SafetyCulturalEngagementContinually nurturing abetter organisationalculture, employeesatisfaction, motivation,and engagement. PeopleRespectSocial ActionAdding value to communitiesthrough impactful work andmeasurable change. Our aim is to support our beneficiaries in developing essentialpersonal and professional skills that help them transitionsustainably into further education, employment, training, orentrepreneurship. Our Aim
www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 1626Educational CoursesSchool HolidayProgrammesEmployment Services Training & ConsultancyCommunityEngagement ServicesSocial Action focused, youth ledprogrammes designed to buildconfidence and leadership skills.Curriculum enhancing programmesdesigned to encourage educationalengagement and youth engagement.Providing help to further personaland professional goals alongsidedeveloping transferable skills toboost youth employability.Bespoke consultancy for localauthorities and youth-focusedagencies.Support for statutory bodies to formrelationships with communities.Our Services
www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 162SNAPSHOT OF 20247Projects & Programmesdelivered this year90% of participants reported increasedconfidence after completing our programmeparticipantsupskilled in 2024people we haveworked with to dateconsultations completedwithin Walsall Boroughyouth centres worked at this year
Pathways Employability ProgrammeIn December 2023, we were delighted to hear that our Pathways Programme had beensuccessful in its commission by The National Lottery Community Fund for 3 years. The Pathways Employability Programme is an initiative by OLM to support economicallyinactive young people and young adults aged 16-24 and 25-35. Focused on individualsfrom marginalised or deprived backgrounds across the West Midlands, the programmeaddresses barriers to employment, equipping participants with essential skills andfostering meaningful transitions into education, training, or employment. Over a three-year period, OLM will work with 150 participants to achieve measurable outcomes thatimprove their confidence, skills, and prospects.The Pathways Employability Programme is designed to:www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 162By providing 12 weeks of tailored 1-to-1 employability and personal development supportenhanced with 6 weeks of in-house coaching, the programme ensures participants areprepared for, and supported through their transitions into sustainable roles.This year has been instrumental in setting the foundations for the programme andmaking vital connections with both referral agencies and outside organisations who willbe able to offer tangible support and opportunities to our young people.2024 PROJECTS8 Enhance Employability: Equip participants with essential skills andexperiences that make them desirable candidates for employers.1. Facilitate Access to Opportunities: Connect participants with workexperience, volunteering, and industry-specific opportunities in fieldslike digital marketing and creative production.2. Reduce Long-Term Unemployment: Support sustained transitions intoemployment for young people in economically disadvantaged areas.3.“ My confidence level hasgone higher, my ability ofworking with others has gotbetter, I’ve made new friendsat my new workplace.”Callum“I am now able to see myselfin a new light which in thepast I wouldn’t have beenable to... My confidence hasimproved for the best.”Anthony
Triangle TrustThis year we entered the final year of our Triangle Trust grant fund to deliver ourPathways Employability Programme. This fund is aimed at helping us to continue toaddress the strategic reduction of the disproportional number of Black and MixedHeritage boys within the Youth Justice Service (YJS).This funding allows us to focus on delivering our Pathways Programme to a group of 20young Black and Mixed Heritage boys per year within the Youth Justice Service, helpingto upskill them and encourage the development of their personal and professional skillsin support of them securing brighter futures. This is a person-centred provision supporting young boys in their personal, social andcommunicative development. The programme adopts a creative approach, utilisingMedia and Production practices to encourage self-reflection and personal awarenesswhilst also providing more intensive 1-to-1 support to improve employability andengagement skills. Additional support has been provided through our partnership with FNB Mentoring(Forwards Not Backwards) who are a dedicated Mentorship & Coaching provider thatworks with children and young people. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank FNBfor all of their support during this programme. www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 1629“I’ve enjoyed thecourse and it hastaught meeverything I need toknow. It has helpedme build skills andI’m grateful for it.”Kevin“My favourite session was themock interview one because I’venever done one before and I’vegot poor speech forcommunicating and bad socialskills so it really helped me.”Jayden
Walsall’s Early Years ConsultationWalsall's Early Help and Partnerships are a collaboration between health, education,children's services, and voluntary services to provide support to children, young people,and their families.The Walsall Rights for Children Early Help Partnership (CEHP) is committed to ensuringchildren and young people:• have the best possible start in life• are safe from harm• are happy and healthy• are where they will thrive emotionally, physically and mentally• achieve their potentialwww.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 16210Walsall Right for Children partnership with Open Lens MediaThe Walsall CEHP commissioned Open Lens Media to utilise creative approaches inunderstanding the low uptake of the Universal offer in the North Locality of Walsall. Ourreport reviews the findings of our consultation project and provides recommendationsto address some of the matters arising from the consultation.Open Lens Media (OLM) conducted a phased consultation in the North Locality ofWalsall, focusing on the Blakenall area, which historically exhibited a low uptake ofpreventative services such as health vaccinations, check-ups, parent and toddler groups,nursery attendance, and school-related clubs. The consultation aimed to gather insightsfor improving access to preventative services, understanding the barriers to their use,and shaping more accessible services to support families and enhance outcomes forchildren.
www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 16211The consultation followed a structured process: Scoping the Project: OLM outlined the project scope, recruited participants,identified key communities and leaders, and planned the evaluation.1. Community Engagement and Data Capture: We built relationships through forumsinvolving parents, community leaders, and professionals, while also conductinginterviews to collect lived experience testimonials and insights from communitychampions.2. Production Delivery: OLM created training case study videos and feedback filmsbased on collected data.3. Community Evaluation Forum: A feedback forum allowed parents, leaders, and thelocal authority to review findings, assess what worked, and plan the next steps withaccountability measures.4. Evaluation: OLM finalised the project with a comprehensive report featuringrecommendations and case studies.5.The consultation provided valuable insights into improving preventative services andstrengthening community engagement in the Blakenall area.
Bloxwich Youth ConsultationWalsall and Bloxwich were selected as part of the Government’s £3.6 billion Towns Fundinitiative, aimed at fostering economic growth through improved transport, broadbandconnectivity, skills development, and job creation. In response, Walsall Council developedthe Launchpad Centre in Bloxwich, a new Incubation and Digital Access hub designed toprovide start-ups and small businesses with office space, digital connectivity,collaborative areas, and business support. The centre also aimed to support residentswith digital access, guidance, and training.In November 2023, Open Lens Media were commissioned to consult with young peoplein Bloxwich to gather their thoughts on the Launchpad Centre. The 6-month projectinvolved two consultation phases: Pre-delivery and Post-delivery. During the Pre-deliveryphase, Open Lens Media engaged with 150 young people aged 16-24 in the Walsall andBloxwich areas. OLM utilised its “5 Principles of Engagement” framework to design aconsultation methodology that included surveys, interviews, and group forums,supported by innovative multimedia tools. The key stakeholders in this consultation process were:• Frank F Harrison Community Association - Beechdale Youth Club• Bloxwich Community Partnership - P.O.P (Positive Outcomes Project)• Walsall College• Vision 4 All CIC• Juniper TrainingThe consultation successfully gathered input on the needs of young people, with forumsexploring perceptions of the Launchpad and youth opportunities in Walsall. OLM alsodelivered media skills workshops, providing participants with training in storytelling,camera use, and presentation skills. These activities received positive feedback andensured diverse input, including voices from SEND students and other underrepresentedgroups to help shape the Launchpad’s services.www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 16212
Care Leavers Project - It Takes A Village Documentary ScreeningOn the 20th of February 2024, our latest documentary, It Takes A Village, wassuccessfully screened at a red-carpet premiere event at The Light Cinema inWalsall. This film was commissioned by Walsall Council Children’s Servicesteam and was produced by our sister company Open Lens Productions toexplore the lived experiences of young people leaving the social care systemin Walsall and the barriers that they face. Filming for the documentary took place during National Care Leavers Weekin 2023 and followed Zoe Morgan, Head of Service for Corporate Parentingand Leaving Care at Walsall Council. During the film, Zoe traded the privilegeof suburban life for a week in the shoes of a young Care Leaver in an attemptto understand the difficulties they face and how to improve their service. The reaction to this production was overwhelmingly positive as it shone alight on the experiences of care leavers within the region. Since thescreening, the film has acted as a tool for the council to secure funding forprojects and improve services for the young people transitioning from thecare service to living independently. “I had a blast working with Open Lens. I think that what we wanted toachieve and what ultimately was provided to us was married up perfectly,and as you can see from the outcome that we’ve had and the initiatives thatwe’ve been able to drive forward since then has been absolutely invaluable.”- Zoe Morgan.The film trailer can be found here.www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 16213
The WayIn October, we started delivering our Pathwaysprogramme in a group environment at youth centreThe Way Youth Zone, in Wolverhampton. Over 12weeks, we had the pleasure of working with a numberof young people, enhancing their abilities, exploringcreative skills such as camera skills, podcasting,editing and production planning, as well as modernentrepreneurial topics such as personal branding andtransferable skills such as presentation skills.One of the young people, Kira, showed a particularlypositive attitude towards the sessions and was alwaysreally engaged. As she attended all of the sessions, wewere able to go into more detail and provideadditional skills like helping with project planning andrecording her own podcast episode. www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 16214A huge thanks to 'The Way Youth Zone' staff and members for their support andparticipation across the programme.“I’ll remember this experiencefor a long time. I was reallynervous in the first session, but itdidn’t take long for me to feelcomfortable. Thank you for thatand the entire programme.”Kira
Walsall Youth Justice Team Training & Race Equality Youth SummitIn June 2024, Open Lens Media had the opportunity to deliver its annual training withWalsall’s Youth Justice Service. It was a rewarding experience that highlighted the team'scommitment to addressing systemic inequalities. The session was well-received, withactive engagement and thoughtful discussions that demonstrated a genuine interest inunderstanding and tackling disproportionality within the youth justice system. Topics inthe training session included:The use of visual case studies and data-driven insights resonated strongly, fostering acollaborative environment where team members openly shared their perspectives andexperiences. Feedback indicated that the practical strategies and reflective activitieswere particularly impactful, equipping the team with tools to critically assess andimprove their practices moving forward. We would like to take this opportunity to thankthe Youth Justice Team for their participation and commitment during this training. InJuly, the national Race Equality Youth Summit took place at Millennium Point inBirmingham. The summit was hosted by West Midlands Combined Authority’s YouthAdvisory board and the Race Equalities Taskforce.This event brought together young people with local authority officers, voluntary sectorworkers, and industry professionals to explore ways to tackle race inequality in the WestMidlands.www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 16215Open Lens Media's CEO and founder, DainaAnderson Mpunzi, was invited to host a workshop atthis event. During this time, Open Lens Media’s workon disproportionality with the Walsall Youth JusticeService was explored. Daina received positivefeedback from the young people that attended theworkshop who were attentive and engaged.One attendee from the Youth Futures Foundationnoted that Daina’s work stood out to her. Sheremarked that it “was inspiring to see positivechange through the lens of media, not only raisingawareness of the victims of injustice but alsodignifying them by giving them a space to sharetheir side.”.Implicit BiasEquity vs Equality Identity and Belonging Self-Awareness and Cultural Awareness
Summer RoadshowThis year, we received funding from The NationalLottery Community Fund to run a Holiday and AfterSchool Media Club. This funding allowed us to takeour work on a Summer Roadshow around the BlackCountry engaging local youth in a range of media-related activities to entertain but also provide subtlelearning. Across August, Rima and Josh visited PleckYouth Centre, Rowley Regis Youth Club, andConeygre Arts Centre in Tipton to facilitate thesesessions. Activities that young people had the chanceto take part in include Kahoot media quizzes, filmscene recreation, camera shot bingo, the loglinechallenge, and more; these activities all helped tobuild skills such as presenting, journalisticinterviewing, camera work, and directing.www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 1621668% of young people that participated in our Media Club gave us a 5 out of 5 stars forsatisfaction, stating that our staff members are "fun and respectful”, “friendly and verygood at their job”, “very kind and helping”, “fun to talk to”, “always there to help”, “reallynice”, and “lovely, kind and enthusiastic”. The activities that the young people enjoyed themost were our photography and camera games, saying that it was fun to get to use ourcamera equipment. The young people said that they had learnt new skills in cameraangles and how to use a professional camera. Staff at Rowley Regis had also given uspositive feedback and had expressed an interest in having us back during the nextsummer holidays.Thank you to The National Lottery for funding our Holiday and After School Media Clubproject.
Social Media and Data Collection Training ProjectAt the start of the year, we ran a Data Collection and Social Media Training Programmefor a second apprentice from the Walsall Youth Justice System (WYJS). Cyanne joinedus on this bespoke, 6-week, 1-to-1 training programme with hopes of developing hercreative skills to make her work with the young people at WYJS an even moreproductive and fruitful experience.www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 162From data collection to media mastery, our sessions were all about unlocking Cyanne’screative potential, igniting a passion for innovation, and improving data collectionmethods for her work with young people involved with the Service. Cyanne told us shehad gained confidence in gathering the views of young people that she works with, andthat she is most proud of being able to introduce new techniques for hearing youthvoices into her work from us. She also gave a shoutout to her facilitator, Rima, for beinggreat to work with and being knowledgeable about the topics taught.Thank you Cyanne for your dedication to learning with us and for putting hard workinto everything that you did.Watch Cyanne’s testimonial here.17
Work Experience Day - Birmingham Open MediaIn September, we assisted two of our participants in completing work experience atdigital technology company Birmingham Open Media. They learnt about new technologysuch as 3D scanning, printing, VR and green screen. This was a really valuable experiencefor both participants Anthony and Jayden as they got to demonstrate their teamworkskills and interact with professionals in a work environment. In their testimonials, bothyoung people said they had gained improved social skills and found it to be a beneficialexperience in helping them gain the skills necessary for their next steps. Watch our behind-the-scenes video for the day here.www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 16218Birmingham Taster SessionsIn December, we had the opportunity to deliver 2 tastersessions to a group of Care Leavers at The LighthouseYoung People’s Centre in partnership with BirminghamChildren’s Trust. Within these sessions, we gave theyoung people an insight into Podcast and VideoProduction, where the young people had theopportunity to learn about camera skills, how to recordaudio, and how to develop their presentation skillswhilst working in a group.
Rima – Digital Content Creator & MarketerLooking back on the past year, I feel a sense ofaccomplishment in the projects that I’ve been a part of.From supporting the Bloxwich Youth Consultation andEarly Years Family Consultation to running a SocialMedia Content Training Programme with a WalsallYouth Justice apprentice, each project has been anopportunity to contribute to meaningful change in thelocal area. One of my proudest moments was managingto get our Pathways Employability Programmefeatured on a BT billboard in Walsall town centre!I would have to say that my favourite project of 2024 was the Summer Roadshow whereJosh and I went out on the road across the Black Country area, engaging local youth in arange of media-related activities to entertain but also provide subtle learning. Thisproject allowed me to work with enthusiastic, creative young people whilst alsocapturing footage of the participants learning and having fun which was very rewarding.I’ve appreciated the opportunities to develop my skills through working on such variedprojects and collaborating with every member of our dedicated team. Looking ahead to2025, my hope for OLM is that we continue to expand our reach and increase our impact,helping even more young people to unlock their potential, and I am excited to continuecontributing to our mission of empowering and developing their personal andprofessional skills.Chloe – Project ManagerI am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to workwith such an amazing team, whose dedication andcollaboration have been instrumental in drivingmeaningful change. Together, we have deliveredimpactful projects that have empowered youngpeople, helping them build confidence and movecloser to opportunities in employment, education, andtraining. It’s been inspiring to witness not only thepositive outcomes for those we’ve supported but alsothe growth and success of the company, whichreflects our shared passion and commitment tomaking a difference and I look forward to seeing thatgrowth continue in 2025!A MESSAGE FROM THE TEAMwww.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 16219
www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 16220Tahlena – Employability & Development Coach As a mentor at Open Lens Media, I have the privilege ofworking closely with each participant throughout theirjourney. Over the course of the 12-week PathwaysProgram, I provide focused, tailored support in areasranging from personal development to employabilityskills. Since each participant is at a different stage intheir journey—whether towards apprenticeships,employment, entrepreneurship, or further education -my role is to meet them where they are and offerspecific guidance that aligns with their unique goalsand challenges. By gaining a deep understanding oftheir individual needs and aspirations, I am able to helpthem build confidence, hone essential skills, andovercome obstacles, ensuring they progress with clarityand purpose.It is truly rewarding to support their growth, knowing that the skills and mindset theydevelop will empower them to achieve their future goals with confidence and success.Alongside this, working with young people in our 1-to-1 sessions has been a rewardingexperience as they developed their employability skills and confidence throughout theprogramme. Looking ahead to 2025, I am excited about the work we have been doing togrow our recruitment arm Pledge 10 and the opportunities we can offer graduates. Continuing to build our network of partners within both the creative and wider sectorswill be crucial to succeeding in this area and I feel there are a lot of reasons to beenthused about the future. Taran – Lead Facilitator2024 has been a very productive year where we havecontinued to deliver our sessions to a wide range ofyoung people from the Walsall, Birmingham andSandwell areas. In particular, giving participants theopportunity to gain valuable experience at digitaltechnology company Birmingham Open Media was ahighlight from this year. It was really encouraging to see the young peoplewho have developed their skills on our programmeoperating within a professional environment andrealise their aspirations of working in a team.
Josh – Programme Delivery FacilitatorThis year has been a whirlwind of challenges,accomplishments and growth. I’ve worked with someabsolutely wonderful young people across the yearand have been in some magnificent spaces. It is my 3rd year with Open Lens Media and I’ve notregretted a single minute of it. We have been makingchanges across the West Midlands and making apositive impact in a number of communities.I feel very fortunate to be employed by Open LensMedia and I am excited for the year ahead, it will bemomentous!Let the story continue!www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 16221Emmanuella – Administration AssistantIt’s hard to believe that it’s been less than a year since I began my journey at Open LensMedia! During this time, I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to exciting projects,support our team, and grow both personally and professionally.One of my favourite projects to work on was the EarlyYears Parents and Community Leaders Forums. I lovedhearing everyone’s opinions and discovering thesimilarities in their perspectives, as well as exploringpotential solutions to the challenges they raised. I alsoreally enjoyed working on the Youth Justice Training,which not only allowed me to learn new things but alsohelped me recognise and address some of my ownunconscious biases. As a new member of the team,being involved in these projects has been botheducational and fulfilling, and it makes me look forwardto being a part of many more projects in the future.I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at Open Lens Media so far, as it has given me theopportunity to grow both personally and professionally. Every week brings new learningopportunities, and I’ve been able to develop my skills while striving to become a morevaluable member of the team. I am grateful for the guidance and opportunities I’vereceived, and I am excited for what’s to come in 2025.
www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 16222Damaris – Programme Delivery FacilitatorFrom starting work at Open Lens Media in September2024, it has been a journey of growth and insight forme. After the first month of adjusting, it was the nextcouple months where I really had to put theory intopractice and reckoned with the feeling that I had toshow up and embrace my individuality. My role as aDelivery Facilitator on the Pathways Programme hasgiven me the opportunity to support the progress anddevelopment of those participating. It has beenrewarding to see them make small incremental stepson their journey towards their personal or professionalgoals as well as providing them with a space wherethey can make mistakes without judgement andreceive constructive feedback.As I grow into my role as a facilitator, I am always looking for new ways of developing myknowledge and skills on how I can best support those with varying needs and barriers tofurther education or employability. For this, I am grateful for the team I am part of as Ireceive the right support I need and we all care for each other's wellbeing, which makesit easier to share possible concerns and identify where I might need to give myself somegrace. There is definitely a lot more I could share but I hope to continue to go fromstrength to strength and looking to the new year, I hope to be involved in more outreachopportunities and ways of representing Open Lens in different spaces and stepping intomy personal authority with leading projects.
www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 162WELCOMING OUR NEW STAFF23As our company continues to grow, so does our commitment to meeting theevolving needs of our programmes and participants. This year, we have expandedour team with three new members, each bringing valuable skills and expertise tosupport our mission.To enhance the efficiency of our day-to-day operations, we welcomed Emmanuella,our dedicated Administration Assistant. This new role strengthens ourorganisational structure, ensuring our internal processes run smoothly, and providesthat extra behind-the-scenes support that the rest of the team needs to continuedelivering impactful work.With the increasing demand for our Pathways Employability Programme, we alsoadded a new Programme Delivery Facilitator to our team. Damaris’ role is pivotal inmaintaining the high quality and consistency of our sessions, allowing us to scale upour services while continuing to deliver exceptional participant experiences. To provide more tailored support to our Pathways participants, we introduced anEmployability and Development Coach to the team. Tahlena has filled this rolewhich enables us to offer in-house mentoring and employment coaching, equippingparticipants with extra tools and confidence that they need to achieve their goalsset in their facilitation sessions. These new hires represent a significant step forward in our journey, reinforcing ourability to empower individuals through our services and better serve ourcommunity. We are thrilled to have them all on board and look forward to thecontributions they will continue to make to OLM’s success.Emmanuella - Administration AssistantDamaris - Programme Delivery FacilitatorTahlena - Employability and Development Coach
Throughout this year we have continued tostrengthen our links with existing partnerssuch as BritAsia TV and explore newpartnerships to enrich the prospects of theyoung people that we work with. As theneeds of our participants have evolved so hasour Pledge 10 offer. Two main sectors haveemerged which include the creativeemployability arm consisting of film, digitaltechnology and new media. Another area ofdemand has been the wider workplace andafter listening to the young people, industriessuch as construction, retail, and health &fitness have been identified as areas to buildemployability links with. PLEDGE 10www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 16224Media ProductionBroadcast JournalismDigital MarketingArts, Culture & EntertainmentCommunicationsPerforming ArtsNew Media, Gaming & TechnologyHealth & Social CareEducation & TrainingData & ProgrammingHealth & FitnessHospitalityRetailConstructionIt was great to confirm our collaboration with BritAsia earlier this year and officiallyannounce them as a Pledge 10 Partner. BritAsia have pledged with us to work onbridging the skills gap and being the driving force behind a young person’s firststeps towards their dream job. Through our Pledge 10 partnership, we will bemaking a real impact and providing valuable experiences for local young peoplewhilst making the West Midlands shine brighter.We have already had graduates from our Pathways programme join their practicalbootcamps and look forward to continuing this partnership which we hope will leadto valuable opportunities for our participants.We look forward to putting more participants in touch with tangible opportunitiesin their area of interest so they can move on to their next steps of further education,training or employment.
www.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 162A YEAR ONLINEThis year, our online platforms have continued to grow and play a vital role inshowcasing our work and connecting with our B2B and B2C audiences.Our website has been a vital part of our online strategy; with frequent updates tocontent on our services, projects, and participant success stories, our website remainsimportant for those looking to learn about and engage with our services. On Social Media, we’ve seen steady growth in followers and engagement across allplatforms. Instagram continues to be a useful space where we share behind-the-scenes moments from sessions, project highlights, and participant testimonials.LinkedIn has been key to connecting with our B2B audience and partners to showcaseour participants’ achievements and our company’s accomplishments. On X, we’veengaged in conversations on youth development and employability, while Mailchimphas allowed us to keep our audiences informed through monthly e-newsletters.Overall, our year online has been aboutmore than just numbers - it has beenabout deepening relationships with ouraudiences and building up ourcommunity. Looking ahead to 2025, weaim to further enhance our digitalpresence by broadening our reach andcontinuing to deliver engaging, relevant,and impactful content that resonateswith our audiences.25@OpenLensMedia @OpenLensMedia Open Lens Media Open Lens Media
Looking ahead to 2025, we are filled with optimism and determination tobuild on the incredible momentum gained over the past year. As we strivetoward our dream goal of supporting 1,000 young people and young adultsinto employment, education, and training by 2029, we remain committed toensuring that our impact is both deep-rooted in our mission and sustainable.In 2025, we will focus on expanding our reach, while also strengthening ourfoundation through continued investment in our governance andoperational team. With the generous support of partners like The LloydsBank Foundation, we aim to refine our strategy, upskill our workforce, andfurther develop leadership within the organisation. These efforts will ensurewe remain agile, effective, and prepared to face the challenges that maycome.A key priority this year is to enhance our ability to evidence and demonstratethe outcomes of our work. By doing so, we hope to attract new investmentsand partnerships that will allow us to amplify our impact and secure thelongevity of our services. In economically uncertain times, this focus onsustainability is critical to our mission of creating equitable opportunities foryoung people.Finally, as always, our work will be guided by the voices of the young peoplewe serve. Their resilience, ambition, and achievements continue to inspire us,and we are determined to keep empowering them to realise their fullpotential. Together, with the continued support of our stakeholders, we lookforward to another year of growth, collaboration, and transformationalchange.CONCLUSION 2025 HOPESwww.openlensmedia.co.uk 01922 276 162HOPES FOR 202526Open Lens Media CIC.As we conclude this year’s report, we extend our heartfelt thanks to you—oursupporters, partners, and stakeholders. Your unwavering commitment and belief inour mission have been vital to our success. Together, we have achieved so much,and we are excited about the opportunities ahead as we continue to create positivechange. Thank you for being an integral part of our journey; we look forward to yourcontinued support as we strive to make an even greater impact in the year to come.
www.openlensmedia.co.uk01922 276 162info@openlensmedia.co.uk@OpenLensMediaUnit 5, The Tanyard65 Lower Forster StreetWalsall, West MidlandsWS1 1XBDeveloping Young People.Creating Opportunities.Opening The Lens On The Youth Perspective.