Our Community Foundation
Charity 1189425
Overview
Summary
Our Community Foundation appears to be a youth-led, place-based organisation using personal development, sport, mentoring and youth social action to strengthen young people’s prospects and influence in East Birmingham. Its role extends beyond direct provision: it positions young people as advocates on the conditions affecting them, particularly youth-service access and local development. The organisation seems to combine long-standing local delivery experience with an increasingly visible convening and influencing role.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Alum Rock
Confidence: high
Direct current organisational evidence identifies Alum Rock as the charity's base and describes its work as deeply rooted in East Birmingham. Its principal delivery hub, Naseby Youth Centre, and a partner school used for delivery, Rockwood Academy, support activity in Alum Rock.
- Our Community Foundation, "Outstanding Charity of the Year 2025"
The charity states that it was created in Alum Rock, that its work remains deeply rooted in East Birmingham, and that its 2025–2030 framework includes community-led change in East Birmingham. - Our Community Foundation, "Our Place: A Home for Hope in the Heart of East Birmingham"
The charity describes Naseby Youth Centre as central to its work and identifies itself as a place-based youth anchor embedded in East Birmingham. - Birmingham City Council, Naseby Youth Centre directory record
Naseby Youth Centre is located in Alum Rock, Birmingham. - Birmingham City Council, Rockwood Academy directory record
Rockwood Academy is in Alum Rock, in the Alum Rock ward. - Our Community Foundation events page
The organisation listed recurring youth clubs and workshops at Naseby Youth Centre and football activity at Rockwood Academy, demonstrating delivery through the Alum Rock hub and school partnership.
Remaining uncertainties
- The evidence strongly supports a district-scale East Birmingham identity, but it does not define a precise geographic boundary for 'East Birmingham'; therefore no additional wards are inferred from that label alone.
- The website records historic or time-limited delivery at Eden Boys' Leadership Academy, but the listed cricket activity ended in September 2025 and the available evidence does not establish that delivery there continued into 2026.
- The registered office in Deritend is not treated as a delivery site because the available evidence identifies it as the registered office only.
- Partnerships with BCAN East, schools, Sport Birmingham and other bodies appear to strengthen the organisation's influence and collaborative reach in East Birmingham, but the evidence does not establish that OCF directly delivers services across all partner locations.
- References to OCF as a Birmingham-wide youth anchor concern strategic voice and network participation; they do not, on the available evidence, demonstrate citywide frontline service delivery.
Additional evidence needed
- A current 2026 programme timetable or annual/impact report identifying each active delivery venue.
- Confirmation from OCF of whether recurring sessions at Rockwood Academy and Eden Boys' Leadership Academy remain active after their published event end dates.
- A current list of schools and community facilities where OCF directly delivers services, distinguishing delivery sites from partnership, advocacy and event locations.
- Evidence defining the geographic catchment and operational role of the BCAN East partnership.
Areas of work
- General Charitable Purposes
Who they help
- Children/young People
- People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin
How they help
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Buildings/facilities/open Space
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
Youth voice appears to be both its method and its objective
The available evidence suggests OCF does not treat young people only as service users. It appears to use youth-led media, events and public engagement to make young people participants in civic discussion and local change.
Why it matters
This distinguishes OCF from a conventional youth activity provider. Its potential value may lie partly in translating lived experience into influence with institutions, funders and developers.
Show evidence
“OCF describes itself as a youth-led charity amplifying the voices of young people.”
Source:Organisation“A trailer about youth opportunities and services was written, filmed and produced entirely by 10 young people from East Birmingham.”
Source:Organisation“Its vision is for young people to be valued as equal partners in change.”
Source:Organisation
OCF may be evolving from project delivery into a local anchor role
OCF appears to be building a role as a durable local platform: delivering from a youth centre and schools while engaging civic leaders, partners and debates about East Birmingham's future.
Why it matters
If this is developing, OCF could become important not only for individual outcomes but also as connective infrastructure between young people, public bodies, businesses and neighbourhood institutions.
Show evidence
“OCF has delivered services from the Naseby Youth Centre, local schools and community facilities.”
Source:Organisation“Its news includes work on the Sports Quarter development in East Birmingham and a Birmingham Community Anchor Network launch.”
Source:Organisation“Its news records visits from the West Midlands Mayor, Birmingham City Council leadership and other civic figures.”
Source:Organisation
The organisation links opportunity to wellbeing and safety rather than treating employability in isolation
Although its stated activity focuses on education, training and work, OCF appears to frame young people's futures more broadly through health, belonging, trusted relationships, safe spaces and positive identity.
Why it matters
This suggests its operating model may address conditions that enable progression, not simply route young people toward employment. That may make it complementary to specialist training or employment providers.
Show evidence
“The charity advances the lives of young people through recreational activities and support that develops their skills, capacities and capabilities.”
Source:Charity Commission“Its programmes include Youth Futures, Living Well, Real Models, Shield and Our Place.”
Source:Organisation“In 2024 it delivered more than 2,000 hours of sport, mentoring and youth social action.”
Source:Organisation
- Which young people are reached most consistently, and whether those reached reflect East Birmingham's wider youth population.
- How youth-led governance operates in practice, including young people's decision-making power.
- Whether OCF's public engagement produces changes in funding, services or local development decisions.
Remaining uncertainties
- Programme-level data on participants, needs, outcomes, repeat engagement and geographic reach.
- Governance information showing young people's formal roles in strategy, staffing and resource allocation.
- Evidence of partnerships, referral relationships and examples of influence on local policy or investment.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
We encourage and empower the ambitions of the residents of Birmingham, with a focus on young people (aged 11 to 28) supporting them into sustained education, training and work through our personal development programmes.
Charity objects
1) TO FURTHER OR BENEFIT THE RESIDENTS OF BIRMINGHAM, WITHOUT DISTINCTION OF SEX, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, RACE OR OF POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS OR OTHER OPINIONS BY ASSOCIATING TOGETHER THE SAID RESIDENTS AND THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES, VOLUNTARY AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS IN A COMMON EFFORT TO ADVANCE EDUCATION AND TO PROVIDE FACILITIES IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE FOR RECREATION AND LEISURE TIME OCCUPATION WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS OF LIFE FOR THE RESIDENTS. 2) TO ADVANCE IN LIFE AND RELIEVE NEEDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE THROUGH: (A) THE PROVISION OF RECREATIONAL AND LEISURE TIME ACTIVITIES PROVIDED IN THE INTEREST OF SOCIAL WELFARE, DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THEIR CONDITIONS OF LIFE; (B) PROVIDING SUPPORT AND ACTIVITIES WHICH DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS, CAPACITIES AND CAPABILITIES TO ENABLE THEM TO PARTICIPATE IN SOCIETY AS MATURE AND RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS