Measuring Our Success
Impact Study
On a regular basis we independently review our impact in the local communities. We target different areas at each end of our site in-turn and are keen to know:
- Has Manchester Airport become more visible in the community?
- Is Manchester Airport making a positive contribution in your neighbourhood?
- What progress has been made (since our last study)?
- How can our programmes be developed and improved?
Wythenshawe Results
In February 2010 we surveyed 60 local stakeholders including elected representatives, community leaders, teachers and local organisations. 90% of participants rated their relationship with the airport as good or better. We also asked people where we should focus our efforts and this was the response...
In response we...
- Upgraded our Airport Academy to offer 6 month apprenticeships to unemployed people, 80% of which led to job offers. All graduates of the AA now have work experience and an NVQ qualification as well as a wide range of employability skills
- Now offer reading support in 3 primary schools in Wythenshawe that feed into our supported High School MEA
- Support GSCE Maths at MEA – which is bringing measurable results
- Increased the number of schools in our attendance scheme to 16
- 3 further staff volunteered as school Governors, 2 in the primary sector and one in a high school
- Offered 20 primary schools in Wythenshawe, 4 in Cheshire, 3 in Stockport and 1 in Trafford the chance to participate in an art project with either MOSI or CGOD. This involved working with an artist and resulted in artwork going on display – see our Education Site photo gallery.
- Giving £2.6 million to 1040 organisations via our Community Trust Fund – 263 recipients in Manchester and 239 in Cheshire.
Knutsford and Mobberley Results
In March 2011 we talked to 54 local people including elected representatives, community leaders, teachers and local organisations from Mobberley, Longridge, Shaw Heath and Manor Park in Cheshire. The results showed us that:
- 69% of those surveyed noticed an increased involvement in their communities since our last survey
- 88% found our involvement to range from fair to excellent
Comments from respondents included:
- "It [Manchester Airport] has stepped out of its traditional business role and supports the development of a sense of pride in the community."
- "Schools benefit from education provision and enrichment."
The Study has helped to define what we will be concentrating on during 2011/12, including:
- Working on local environmental projects in Mobberley.
- Increasing the number of our mobile outreaches in Shaw Heath where our respondents told us of the difficulty in getting to the library in Knutsford for those without a car.
- Our active Longridge and Shawheath business support group have delivered 2 "What's My Line" events and a Numbers at Work day.
Working with Councils
We regularly meet with councillors and elected representatives to brief them on our activities and to understand more about our local communities and how we can get involved. Attendees are asked to rate the event out of four (one being poor and four excellent). The overall score for the latest event was 3.5. The two most valued items on the agenda were:
- Airside tour
- Airport City
Community Recognition
This year we have for the first time tested our work against the Business in The Community Index. In 2011 we tested our Community Strategy against a national standard and were joint highest new entry in the Business in the Community (BiTC) Index published in The Times during June. We were ranked silver - a significant achievement for our first entry.
Additionally we were honoured to win three prestigious Big Tick awards for our Work Inspiration, Education and Employability programmes. These awards recognise the positive impact of our activities and the community benefits that they bring. Our Community Relations Manager, Wendy Sinfield, has also been awarded the BiTC Leadership for Sustainability Award.
