Background

The Manchester Future City Game focused on Gorton, a challenging area in Manchester, which has suffered from social and economic deprivation, but is now undergoing some degree of urban regeneration. The Reclaim project works with young people in the area to help raise aspirations and to challenge young people to become active citizens in their community. Reclaim is a project devised and delivered by Urbis, a cultural exhibition centre in Manchester. They have been working with young men from the Gorton area for six months and the game was the last event together before they graduate from the programme.

Objectives

The Gorton Future City Game aimed to give the group real challenges to solve, to help raise the profile of the Reclaim’s project in Gorton, to help improve the reputation of young people in Gorton and to provide community-led solutions to the local challenges. The game was significantly adapted to suit the skills and abilities of the players and to engage local business leaders and the wider community in a meaningful way. In addition to the usual Future City Game steps, groups were also given specific challenges that they needed to solve.
The game was co-organised with Reclaim and supported by Tesco, Gorton Market and Gorton Police.
 

Winning idea

Gorton Market

The winning team was set the challenge of revitalising Gorton indoor market, which is adapting to increased competition from a major supermarket, which has recently opened opposite. The participants came up with a range of ideas to help make the market more attractive to young people and shoppers. They suggested improving the internal and external environment, with more colours, flowers and trees and background music in the market to help make it more lively and youthful. A wide-ranging advertising campaign and increasing the variety of shops to include ethnic minority shops, and shops for young people and children’s goods would attract more residents to the market. The group’s innovative ideas also included building a crèche, so people could know their children were safe while they shopped, and building a stage area, which could host monthly events and activities. The head of the market watched the presentation, and is arranging a meeting to discuss how community groups could make use of the second floor of the market, which is currently not in use.
 

Winning ideas from the other teams

Shoplifting

This group visited a major supermarket and were set the challenge of reducing shoplifting in the store. As well as suggesting more uniformed and non-uniformed security guards at key times, the group suggested a range of measures that would help reduce shoplifting. TV monitors in the aisles near high-value products would help potential thieves see that they are under surveillance. The group also used information about the value of goods stolen each week to come up with an in-store campaign to raise awareness of the number of people who’s salaries could be paid by the amount stolen each week, and to increase awareness of the on the spot fine for theft. Recognising the social and economic problems behind shoplifting, the participants also suggested a wide range of support mechanisms that could help reduce shoplifting. The information on support groups should be available in store and people who were caught shoplifting should also be referred to the appropriate support agency, not just banned from the store. The group also suggested that the store should offer community incentives; if shoplifting reduces by a particular amount the store should pledge to sponsor a football team or to run discount days for local people.

Anti-social Behaviour and Crime

This group were given the challenge of reducing anti-social behaviour and crime. They suggested that police presence in the area should be increased, and that a police phone line should be available for people who are worried about anti-social behaviour or crime. The police should also do searches for guns and knives, including spot checks on individuals. The group also focused on a range of wider reaching measures, which would reduce gang culture and crime. These included the police providing a neutral space for gang members to meet, to get to know each other in a safe space. Mixed football matches and more social activities in the area could help increase community cohesion and create a greater sense of community. They also suggested that work experience with the police would both increase people’s respect for the police, and could help challenge negative stereotypes of young people.