PHILANTHROPY NEWS
Partnership and possibility
Over the past three years, the Haberdashers’ Company has played a vital role in supporting Construction Youth Trust’s (CYT) Building Opportunities programme through its major grants programme.
Focused on creating brighter futures for young people in Southwark and Lewisham, Building Opportunities supports those who are unemployed or at risk of becoming so, helping them access careers, apprenticeships and long-term pathways into the construction and built environment sector.
At the heart of the programme is a mix of coaching, employability support, and access to a wide network of local and national employers. It’s not just about building skills – it’s about creating real connections to real opportunities.
What makes Building Opportunities different?
In the past, CYT’s employability programmes focused on preparing young people for general career pathways in the construction industry. While that approach remains important, Building Opportunities has evolved in response to what young people have told us they need: a clear route to specific, in-demand roles.
Instead of starting with skills, CYT now start with jobs. Working closely with their network of over 200 employer partners, CYT identify available entry-level roles and apprenticeships, then support young people to build the relationships, experience and confidence they need to take up those roles. Crucially, participants are introduced to the very employers who are hiring, giving them early insight into what the job involves and what it takes to succeed.
CYT
This targeted approach has had a powerful impact. Since July 2021, 380 volunteers from over 100 companies have donated 888 hours to the programme in Southwark and Lewisham. As a result, 36% of 705 young people supported have moved into employment, apprenticeships or further education.
One of the most valuable aspects of the relationship between CYT and the Haberdashers’ Company is a shared commitment to meaningful, trust-based collaboration. Haberdashers have embraced this approach wholeheartedly, actively looking for ways to support and strengthen our work.
Thanks to their support, CYT have deepened their relationships with Haberdashers’ Hatcham College and Haberdashers’ Borough Academy, embedding the programme more firmly within the communities we serve.
A great example of this partnership in action came through a site visit organised by Bidwells to the redevelopment of Borehamwood Girls’ School, which features new classrooms powered by solar energy. Young people toured the site and met a range of professionals including the apprentice project manager, structural engineers and site team. They left inspired, having seen up close what those roles involve and how they might pursue similar careers.
CYT
A long-term investment in young people
Another example of how the partnership goes beyond traditional grant-making is the match funding CYT has received. Since 2022, £24,000 in joint support from the Haberdashers’ Company and City & Guilds has helped expand the programme’s reach and deepen its impact.
The collaboration between CYT and the Haberdashers’ Company has become a beacon of opportunity for young people in Southwark and Lewisham. By connecting them to real jobs and apprenticeships, it is offering young people who are not in education, employment or training a clear and tangible route forward. Just as importantly, it is enabling CYT to build a lasting presence in the local area and continue supporting young people for years to come.
