Salford Innovation Forum is home to organisations working across youth development, creativity, and community impact. For the Rio Ferdinand Foundation, it’s more than just a workspace—it’s a place where everyday conversations turn into real opportunities for young people.
Ryan Hunt, Programme Manager at the Rio Ferdinand Foundation, sees this first-hand. Working with 11–25 year olds, the Foundation focuses on helping young people progress into pathways they’re genuinely passionate about.
Being based at Salford Innovation Forum puts that work right at the centre of the community.
Salford Innovation Forum: collaboration at the heart of the community
Location plays a big part in the Foundation’s work.
Salford Innovation Forum sits in what Ryan describes as the “epicentre” of the young people they support. Being closely connected to the community makes it easier to build relationships and respond quickly with meaningful opportunities.
But it’s not just about location—it’s the environment inside the building that makes the difference.
The shared spaces, breakout areas, and mix of organisations create a setting where people naturally connect. Conversations happen organically, and those conversations often lead somewhere.
This is where collaboration at Salford Innovation Forum really starts to take shape.
🎥 Watch: Ryan’s Story
Hear Ryan talk about his role and how being based at Salford Innovation Forum supports the work of the Rio Ferdinand Foundation.
How collaboration turns conversations into opportunity
A key strength of Salford Innovation Forum is the diversity of organisations based within it.
From youth providers to creative businesses, there’s a wide range of sectors represented—but often with shared values around community impact and supporting people.
That mix creates the perfect conditions for collaboration.
Ryan shares how one conversation in a communal space quickly turned into a live photography project. A creative business in the building needed young people to be involved to bring an authentic perspective. Through a simple connection, the Foundation was able to introduce young people already interested in media.
What could have taken weeks elsewhere happened almost instantly.
No complex processes—just collaboration in action.
A collaborative workspace supporting youth development in Salford
For organisations working with young people, having access to the right networks can make all the difference.
At Salford Innovation Forum, those connections are built into the environment. Being surrounded by organisations across different sectors makes it easier to create opportunities that go beyond traditional programmes.
For the Rio Ferdinand Foundation, this means:
- quicker access to partnerships
- more hands-on experiences for young people
- greater flexibility in how programmes are delivered
Ryan describes the building as a “hive of activity”—a space where new ideas are constantly forming and where collaboration feels natural, not forced.
For organisations looking for coworking space in Salford with a strong community focus, environments like this offer far more than just a desk—they create opportunities through connection.
🎥 Watch: Collaboration in action
In this video, Ryan shares how a simple conversation at Salford Innovation Forum led directly to a live opportunity for young people.
Why collaboration at Salford Innovation Forum matters
For many organisations, collaboration can take time.
At Salford Innovation Forum, it happens more easily because of the environment. Shared spaces, aligned values, and proximity mean that conversations quickly turn into introductions—and introductions turn into real opportunities.
Ryan’s experience highlights how the right workspace can support not just day-to-day work, but long-term impact—especially for organisations focused on youth development and community change.
As he puts it, if you’re not here, you’re missing out.
Continue the journey
This is the latest feature in our Creating Impact Beyond Business series, where we spotlight the people, partnerships, and ideas driving meaningful change.
If you missed our previous story, you can catch up and see how these conversations continue to grow into real opportunities.
More stories are on the way—each one building on the last, and each one showing what’s possible when impact goes beyond business.
Sarah Taylor
Customer Experience Assistant
