Construction Youth Trust is one of the company’s Major Grant holders, receiving an award of £50,000 in 2021. They use a relationship model to work closely with young people from some of the least advantaged parts of London, creating success by helping put them on the path to careers in construction. 

On arrival at the offices of Construction Youth Trust I met two of their programme workers. At that moment I knew that the Company had made a wise decision to support this charity: the spark, energy and clear competence of Tony and Comfort assured me that the Company’s grant (and our work with young people) is in incredibly safe hands.

Construction Youth Trust’s task is to match young people from disadvantaged London boroughs with opportunities that come from the construction trade’s involvement in regeneration in those boroughs.

Working alongside schools, leaving care teams (providing support to looked after children who are leaving or who have left care), youth offending teams and employers, Construction Youth Trust provides targeted support for young people who are at risk of being Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET).

One of those young people is Joshua, who joined our meeting by Zoom. Joshua explained that he knew that he didn’t want to use his BTec in engineering to go down the university route. With the pandemic providing lots of dead ends to his endeavours, he was finally referred to Construction Youth Trust.

Tony worked hard to build up Joshua’s trust in him. With Tony as his guide and mentor, Joshua took the steps to start his career in construction: his Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment certificate and his Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) accreditation.

At the end of last year Joshua applied for a Balfour Beatty Electrical Apprenticeship and he will be starting this apprenticeship in the summer of 2022. Joshua says, ‘I’d be so lost without Construction Youth Trust’.  

I’d be so lost without Construction Youth Trust

Since this meeting with Construction Youth Trust the Haberdashers’ Academies’ Trust South has connected with them. There is huge potential for them to work in partnership with our Lewisham and Southwark schools for the benefit of the pupils, especially those at risk of becoming NEET.

The Company wishes to thank Emmanuel, Joshua and Venesha for giving up their time to talk to Isabel Fazan (Company Contact) and me.

Construction Youth Trust has asked the Company for specific help with Work Experience placements for young Londoners. This is in any area of the Built Environment sector in its widest sense: property, asset management, sustainability, design and so on.

For details about how to get involved – especially if you work in any aspect of the construction industry – contact Susan, Director for Charities (susan@haberdashers.co.uk).