Roqqett Blog

Meet Grassroot Communities

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We're excited to introduce Grassroot Communities. They are an organisation working to empower young people in Bristol by involving them in community and youth led projects. Through this, they hope to revitalise and strengthen the local community!

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Who are Grassroot Communities?

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Change is coming and it’s from the grassroots up.

More than 17,000 children are living in poverty in Bristol. Grassroot Communities operates predominantly across South Bristol and in the margins of the city to tackle this problem. They tailor and deliver school, youth and community work projects based on the wants and needs of local people. For example, leadership programmes and practical environmental & creative projects that work with people of all ages to transform local spaces, improve community cohesion and reconnect people with nature.

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What is their mission?

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Grassroot Communities aims to challenge and inspire young people and others in their neighbourhoods to be the changes that they want to see. This will, in turn, improve their quality of life and create real social change…from the grassroots up!

Their main focus is to support participants to improve their health, well-being and quality of life.

The needs of the individuals, groups and communities they work with are at the heart of all the projects that they develop and facilitate. For example, they have held events and workshops where young people can work alongside graffiti artists to create their own works of art. They have also done bike rides, boxing and other physical activities with the young people.

Subsequently these projects inspire participants, groups and communities on their journeys through life and create an awareness of how we can all achieve a happy, sustainable future where we all have the opportunity to thrive.

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Grassroot Activators Programme

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The GAP will support 16–25-year-olds living in poverty to become skilled and active citizens whilst laying the foundations for their future and building stronger communities.

Ran as a yearlong modular programme, the GAP trains a cohort of young people, each with lived experiences in marginalised areas of the city, in youth and community work.

Each module provides another stepping stone towards future employment and education. Through training in leadership, entrepreneurship, or community development, young people get the opportunity to improve their skills and confidence. They can be the changes that they want to see in their world and create a ripple effect throughout the local communities.

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The Grassroot Activators Programme is designed based on local consultation to address specific problems that the city faces:

• The ten areas identified as having the highest levels of deprivation across the city are all in South Bristol, some being rated in the top 1% nationally.
• 8.8% of 16–17-year-olds in 2017/18 were not in education, employment, or training.
• There are only three youth work apprentices across the entire city; put simply, GAP is a localised solution to the widening skills gap within youth and community work.
• Young people from poorer communities are disproportionately affected by the economic impact of COVID-19. In March 2021, the office for national statistics noted that almost two thirds of people who lost their jobs during the pandemic were under 25’s.

How can you help by using Roqqett?

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Grassroot Communities are raising funds for their programmes to empower the local community and they’re doing this using Roqqett Powered Payments.

Why Roqqett?

Roqqett Power Payments allows Grassroot Communities to raise funds without going through multiple third parties usually involved in card transactions or fundraising sites. This means that they can keep more of the proceeds to go towards their work for young people in Bristol. 

Also, Roqqett facilitates direct bank to bank payments so that payments don’t need to be held for sometimes days before clearing. Funds arriving straight into Grassroot Communities’ account will be able to be allocated straight away to where there is need, allowing them to continue their amazing work!

Donate to support the young people of Bristol through Grassroot Communities here.

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Learn more about our Roqqett Partners here.