The starry social venture that asked for an honest opinion

Liam Black

A bright star of the UK social enterprise scene, multi-award winning Livity – which calls itself a 'more than profit youth marketing agency' – has just published its 4th social impact report. In its ongoing drive for improvement and transparency, Livity was brave enough to seek an independent, critical commentary from long-term mentor and arch BS inquisitor Liam Black

A Very Welcome Start…

Anyone who has been to Livity mission control in Brixton cannot fail to be impressed and inspired by its energy and buzz. A cool, funky space full of young people gathered around iMacs in animated conversations about their projects. A hub of youthful passion and energy which never fails to engage and excite visitors.

What does all this energy, Apple technology, award ceremony attending, corporate partnering, hair product, sharp suits and ceaseless activity honestly amount to?

It has been my great honour and pleasure to have mentored/coached/championed the co-founders Sam and Michelle for years. We have sat and talked for hours about the shape and purpose of Livity as it has grown and matured. How best to balance the social goals and the brute realities of running a business? What should their roles be as the business changes? What leadership and governance structures do they need?

How do they play to their considerable individual strengths at the same time as exercising aligned joint leadership over a young and inexperienced management team? I have helped with connections in the corporate world and put work their way. I am a huge fan and for as long as they want me I’m there for them.

 

Future Truths

We all really, really want to believe that youngsters from troubled backgrounds can have their life chances hugely boosted by being given the chance to work with sexy brands like Google and Shine, in socially enterprising partnerships where everyone wins – and it can be done profitably.

Social entrepreneurs are great storytellers – and sometimes the stories are true! Tim Smit – founder of Cornwall’s Eden Project – has a phrase, ‘future truths’, to describe statements about the present which are not exactly fibs but wouldn’t actually stand up to too much rigorous investigation.

Sam is a storyteller par excellence and – no doubt about it – in the early days of Livity was a ‘future truthteller’ of Olympic quality!

 

Dialling Down The Hype

But dial down the hype and we have to ask: What is Livity and does it actually work?

What does all this energy, Apple technology, award ceremony attending, corporate partnering, hair product, sharp suits and ceaseless activity honestly amount to?

Are young people from troubled backgrounds – NEETs to use the gormless jargon –  really at the heart of this business? Is it really true that young people – inexperienced, often immature – can have insights which are of real and lasting value to any company and its challenges? And is this approach to young peoples’ empowerment cost effective? What indeed are the real costs of a young person’s encounter with Livity? Could the money be better used?

These are tough questions and Livity’s new social impact report begins to answer some of them. Assessing what impact Livity has had in a youngster’s life journey and whether or not it was worth the costs is far from an exact science and all reports such as this will always be works in progress and leave us wanting more.
This report is a list of activities, projects and head counts wrapped in some analysis and conclusion making. It is not independently verified so we only have Livity’s word that the numbers quoted are accurate and unspun. For next year’s report I would like to see an outside agency assure the audit trails. This will not only raise levels of confidence in the report but provide Livity with valuable insights into how data gathering and analysis can be improved year on year.

 

Getting The Mix Right

A culture like Livity’s works if there is a sufficient mix of middle class youngsters and their peers from the other side of the tracks. Transformation isn’t going to happen if the place is full of ex-offenders and those kids spat out by our at times woeful education system. And a space full of graduates and aspiring media luvvies – well, London is full of those adding little, if any, social value.

What is the right balance, the right mix of ambitious, aspiring youngsters and those who need their ambitions and aspirations building up? Has Livity got this right? I don’t think it has yet – or has a collective view what that ratio should be.

The company has a lot of work to do to get its social and commercial goals into alignment. In such a fast growing business, enough time for honest reflection will always be hard to carve out. But Livity must.

Annual warts-and-all reporting requires discipline, willingness to make sufficient resources available to do he job well and courage. This public report I am confident is the signal that Livity’s leadership has committed itself to proving its worth to youth.

I’ll be watching.

Liam Black is the co-founder of www.thesameavelength.com, has created/led more than a dozen social enterprises and helps pick winners for two social investment funds www.impactventuresuk.com and  www.ignitesocialenterprise.com

Livity's social impact reports can be found online here