14 November 22
Community and volunteering

Trafford Council launches charter to support communities

Trafford Council has launched a special charter as part of a long-term commitment to support local communities.

The authority’s Social Value Charter sets out how the Council and its partners will ensure that local communities will benefit from social value commitments made by businesses delivering major contracts.

The Charter sets out key areas where businesses of all sizes may be able to help local communities in Trafford. Examples of the kind of benefits that can be harnessed through social value include:

  • Local labour on construction sites
  • Apprenticeship and work experience opportunities for Trafford residents
  • Talks in schools to inspire school children about career options in specific sectors
  • Providing volunteers to help with local community projects
  • Support for foodbanks and other community initiatives
  • Underpinning the Charter is a Social Value Action Plan setting out the key actions to be delivered through a multi-agency steering group.

Key actions in the plan include embedding social value across all of the Council’s work and ensuring that there is a process in place to consult with local communities to ensure local needs can be addressed through social value commitments where they are most needed.

Councillor Liz Patel, Executive Member for Economy and Regeneration, said: 

“I am delighted to be launching the Social Value Charter for Trafford. During the cost of living crisis it has never been more important to be able to ensure money spent in Trafford is reaching and impacting upon those who need it most.

“We are fortunate in Trafford to work with businesses with a social conscience who are wanting to offer more through the contracts they deliver on and have a positive impact on the local community.”

One example is Changing Social, a digital company who are working with the Council to implement Microsoft Office 365 across the organisation. As part of their social value commitment they have provided:

  • “Staying safe online” sessions for library staff, so they could learn and then share that knowledge further
  • Search Engine Optimisations webinars to Trafford start up businesses
  • Provided a ten-week paid internship for a Trafford young person wanting a career in the digital sector
  • Career mentoring for a number of young people
  • Mentoring for digital skills for adults to help with career changes and progression.