Pixel Kicks revamps Moss Side youth charity website

Manchester digital agency Pixel Kicks has completed a pro bono redesign and rebuild of the Hideaway Youth Project website, giving the Moss Side charity a new online presence designed to improve how parents, volunteers, donors and local partners engage with its services.

Hideaway Youth Project has operated in Moss Side for more than 60 years, working with young women and men in the area. It runs activities from its centre and provides a local safe space for young people, with a focus on building confidence and developing skills.

The charity's previous website had been in place for more than a decade and became difficult to maintain. It no longer reflected the scale of the work or offered an effective window into its programmes, history and day-to-day activity.

Pixel Kicks carried out a full redesign and redevelopment at no charge as part of its commitment to supporting the communities where it operates. The project updated the site's look and structure and introduced a platform the charity can keep up to date.

The new site puts greater emphasis on making services and activities easy to find. It also uses Hideaway Youth Project imagery and stories to give a clearer picture of the charity's work across Manchester.

A key part of the rebuild was enabling Hideaway Youth Project to manage the website in-house. The charity can now make updates without specialist support, a common challenge for small organisations with limited resources.

Local focus

Hideaway Youth Project is based in Moss Side, an area with a long tradition of community-led youth provision. Organisations in the sector often rely on a mix of grants, donations and partnerships, increasing the importance of public-facing communications such as websites and social channels.

A modern website can also serve an operational role. For youth charities, it can provide a central point for enquiries from parents and guardians, volunteer recruitment, and contact from schools and local businesses. It can also support fundraising by giving potential donors and partners evidence of ongoing activity.

Sherelle Armstrong of Hideaway Youth Project said the charity valued Pixel Kicks' approach during the project.

"We had an amazing experience working with Pixel Kicks on our new website. Jamie, Chris and the team were brilliant to work with. Communication was great throughout and we always felt supported and listened to. "What really stood out was how much interest they took in our charity and the work we do. They took the time to understand our audience and our values, which created a website that truly reflects who we are. We're so pleased with the final result."

For Pixel Kicks, the work forms part of its community activity as a Manchester-based agency. Pro bono projects can also help small organisations access professional digital support that might otherwise be out of reach.

Jamie Bray, Project Manager at Pixel Kicks, said the agency wanted to back a longstanding local organisation.

"As a Manchester-based agency we've always believed it's important to support the communities around us. When we learned more about the work Hideaway Youth Project has been doing for young people in Moss Side, we saw an opportunity to help a brilliant organisation that genuinely makes a difference."

He added that the updated site should strengthen communications and outreach.

"The new site gives them a platform to showcase their programmes, connect with more families and supporters, and ultimately help them reach more young people across the city."

Digital maintenance

Charities often face a trade-off between maintaining existing tools and funding frontline services. When a website becomes hard to update, information about sessions, events, volunteering opportunities and donation drives can quickly become out of date. It can also weaken the organisation's ability to demonstrate impact and reassure new families.

Hideaway Youth Project is now better placed to update content routinely as programmes change. The organisation can also share images and stories from the centre, helping build community awareness and demonstrate activity to supporters.

Pixel Kicks describes itself as a full-service digital agency, working on Shopify and WordPress development, eCommerce and digital marketing. The business was established in 2011 and is part of PushON Commerce Group.

The charity plans to use the website as a central hub for information and outreach, with a focus on attracting new participants, volunteers, donors and relationships with local businesses.