York Community Wealth Building Hub + Podcasts (2025 to 2026)
A research lab, publishing studio, and community HQ for York’s social enterprise economy
In September 2025 a joint bid was put in to the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Community Wealth Building Programme, by York Social Enterprise Coalition, SPARK:YORK, and Fieldwork, to create a Community Wealth Building Hub for York.
We were awarded funding to turn a 40ft container at SPARK into a dedicated Community Wealth Building Hub, so that a 6 month asset mapping study of the social enterprise sector could be undertaken, and a Community Wealth Building Action Plan published.
The hub functioned as:
- A research and publishing lab,
- The headquarters of the York Social Enterprise Coalition (YSEC) C.I.C
- A drop-in collaboration space for voluntary, charity and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations and projects to build a more cooperative and resilient local economy.
- A training centre for VCSE organisations and unincorporated groups to receive 1:1 advice, support, feedback and training.
Additional funding was contributed by Fieldwork, via a grant from Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
Roles and responsibilities:
I was commissioned by York Social Enterprise Coalition to undertake the asset mapping study and to create the Community Wealth Building Action Plan. I conducted interviews with those involved in community wealth building projects across the VCSE sector, which were published as a series of podcasts, split into a social media clips to generate engagement online, then I submitted my findings as a written report.
I was responsible for the design, build and fit out of the hub, creating a media studio for the filmed podcasts to take place, as well as a meeting space for York Social Enterprise Coalition.
I delivered 1:1 to media production and content creation training to 8 VCSE organisations.
I managed the diary and bookings for the hub.
Outputs and outcomes:
A series of published York Community Wealth Building podcasts. (Further episodes were commissioned by Fieldwork after the funding from the combined authority finished.)
An asset mapping study delivered to York Social Enterprise Coalition.
A Community Wealth Building Action Plan co-created with York Social Enterprise Coalition and delivered to the combined authority.
A visible presence in York city centre for the social enterprise sector.
8 VCSE organisations / unincorporated community groups personally trained, helping them to build their audience online.
Groups able to book out the podcast studio at no cost, to put into practice the training I had delivered.
Additional support provided to social enterprises by York Social Enterprise Coalition, taking place within the hub.
Listen to the podcasts:
