What we do
‘Young people may be one of society’s greatest problems. But they are also the solution to that problem’ – Andy Hawthorne, Message Founder and CEO
The Message Trust works with the hardest-to-reach young people through innovative and effective work in the schools, communities and prisons of Greater Manchester, and beyond through the UK-wide Eden Network.
Over 100,000 young people come into contact with our staff and volunteer teams each year – in the classroom, at a live gig, in community activities such as the Eden Bus or after-school clubs, or on the wings of young offenders’ institutions.
Our staff of around 100 people includes:
- three credible pop bands: LZ7, Twelve24 and MaLoKai
- a cutting-edge theatre company, In Yer Face
- a team of specialist prisons and resettlement workers, Reflex
- 27 Eden community projects in Manchester, London, the North East and Yorkshire
- five discipleship-focussed businesses, employing ex-offenders as apprentices
Many hundreds of people also volunteer their services for free every week of the year.
Each year, Message teams:
- deliver over 20,000 hours of youth work through over 300 separate activities
- fulfil around 75 schools weeks and gigs in partnership with local churches
- run two high-tech mobile youth centres, the Eden Buses, providing a safe ‘off the street’ environment for young people
- train and equip dozens of creative evangelists and urban youth workers each year through the Genetik training programme
- operate a £1m arts and music training complex in South Manchester as a resource for local schools and colleges