The alumni of a youth leadership charity have published an open letter protesting against its imminent closure and calling for it to consider a merger instead.
RECLAIM, which has been based in Manchester for over a decade and runs youth leadership workshops for working-class young people in the city, announced its closure earlier this week.
However, shortly before the charity’s announcement, a group of alumni from RECLAIM’s programmes published the letter urging it to consider other options.
RECLAIM ‘worked incredibly hard to find other alternatives to closure’
RECLAIM said In its announcement that insufficient funding led to its decision to close.
The charity wrote that it had “worked incredibly hard to find other alternatives to closure, including exploring a number of merger options”.
However, RECLAIM said it had been unable to “identify funding which would allow it to employ staff or continue operating as an organisation” beyond its planned closure date on 31 May.
In the announcement, RECLAIM added that it was “saddened” that it was announcing the news in a “reactive way”, without having yet been able to create a consultation process to involve the young people it works with or the alumni.
It cited “incorrect information that is being shared online” as the primary reason for this. However, it is unclear whether it was referring to the open letter, which had been published two days prior.
The charity had reported a series of financial deficits in its recent accounts.
Its income totalled £392,000 in the year to August 2023 and £384,000 in 2021-22, while its annual expenditure totalled £404,000 and £460,000 in those years, respectively.
Merger proposed by alumni
RECLAIM was founded in 2010 by Ruth Ibegbuna, who served as its chief executive until 2018.
Ibegbuna then founded another youth charity, the REKINDLE School for working-class young people in Manchester and London, of which she remains CEO.
In the open letter, the RECLAIM alumni network proposed that RECLAIM should consider merging with REKINDLE School, writing that the latter has “offered a clear and viable path to continue RECLAIM’s legacy”.
The group went on to criticise the closure plans, writing that it was “deeply concerning and difficult” to understand how the merger was allegedly rejected by RECLAIM’s board of trustees.
They added: “We are concerned that once again, decisions about RECLAIM’s future are being made without the involvement of the young people the organisation exists to serve or the alumni who continue to live its mission.”
The network called on the board of trustees to pause RECLAIM’s closure and reconsider the merger with REKINDLE School.
Speaking to Civil Society, a REKINDLE spokesperson said: “REKINDLE remains committed to working alongside RECLAIM’s alumni, staff, funders, and wider community to explore a sustainable future for the movement founded by our CEO, Ruth Ibegbuna.
“While the final decision rests with RECLAIM’s board, we continue to welcome open and constructive dialogue about the road ahead.”
RECLAIM has been contacted for comment.
Related articles
