South Wales youth social enterprise upgrades facilities with £700K funding from NatWest
£700,000 NatWest funding finances purchase of Media Academy Cymru building in Cardiff
- MAC has diverted 10,000 children and young people in Cardiff, Newport, Merthyr, Neath, and Swansea from the criminal justice system
- Financial boost will reduce outgoings and provide essential equipment and workshops for youngsters
Media Academy Cymru (MAC), a nonprofit social enterprise based in Cardiff, is set to expand operations and enhance its facilities for youngsters with the support of a £700K funding package from NatWest.
The funding package will enable MAC to buy their main building in Cardiff, ensuring long-term stability and allowing them to expand the services they provide for youngsters across South Wales.
This move will result in significant annual savings for the organisation , freeing up resources for further development and support programmes.
Established in 2010, MAC focuses on supporting young low level offenders in multiple locations across South Wales, including Cardiff, Newport, Merthyr, Neath, and Swansea.
Through early intervention, media training, and triage diversion programmes, MAC has helped to keep more than 10,000 children and young people away from the criminal justice system to date.
MAC’s innovative approach includes supporting job creation and placements, student placements, and apprenticeships for youngsters who have committed low gravity offences
These paid roles in areas such as youth work, project management, administration, and finance, help young people achieve recognised qualifications and gain hands-on experience which helps them to develop their confidence, skills and chances of long-term employment.
Nick Corrigan, Managing Director at Media Academy Cymru, said:
“NatWest truly understands our sector and our goals, and this funding will prove a really important step for Media Academy Cymru. Not only will it enable us to purchase our premises in Cardiff but help us free up capital to invest in new equipment and workshops.
“Our ultimate ambition is to help young people thrive personally, socially, and professionally and we are excited about the positive impact this deal will have on our community.”
Katie Piggott, Relationship Manager at NatWest, commented:
“Media Academy Cymru is a remarkable organisation that makes a real difference to the lives of young people across Wales. Their commitment to education, youth empowerment, and community development is the exact sort of thing we look to support at NatWest. We are proud to support their expansion with this funding package and look forward to watching the organisation continue to invest in itself and the young people of Wales.”
As Britian’s biggest bank for business, NatWest supports businesses across the country in achieving their growth goals. With a history stretching back nearly 300 years, NatWest now serves over 19 million customers, with businesses rooted in communities across every nation and region of the UK across retail, commercial and private banking markets.
