Over the last three months, we’ve continued to strengthen our partnerships with schools, colleges, charities and community organisations, helping to create opportunities for young people, support local grassroots sport, and promote careers in construction.
From interview skills sessions and work experience placements to targeted donations, here’s a look at the social value we’ve delivered over the last three months.
Supporting Young People Through YouthBuild
In April, we were pleased to volunteer at and donate to support YouthBuild’s Level Up programme for students from St Paul’s Academy in Greenwich. The programme was designed for young people aged 14 to 16 without a work experience placement, who may otherwise have missed out on the opportunity to gain exposure to the world of work. Taking place at YouthBuild’s Thamesmead centre, the programme gave around 30 students an introduction to construction, helping them develop confidence, learn practical skills and better understand the opportunities available within the industry.
At Elkins, we’re passionate about supporting initiatives that encourage more women to explore careers in construction, so we were pleased to provide a donation to support YouthBuild’s recent Women in DIY event. This gave local women the opportunity to learn practical DIY skills, from plumbing and electrics to painting and shelving. Events like these create opportunities, inspire confidence and help demonstrate that there is a place for everyone in our industry.
Creating Work Experience Opportunities
Work experience has continued to be a key focus this quarter, giving young people the chance to spend time with our teams, learn about different roles and gain a clearer understanding of how construction projects are delivered.
Over the past few months, we’ve welcomed students from Shooters Hill Sixth Form College to gain site-based experience with our contractor GC Construct at Consort Estate, where they’ve had the opportunity to learn about site management, resident liaison and the day to day running of a live construction environment.
In June, we welcomed Hannah from YouthBuild to our HSEQ team for a week of work experience, gaining insight into the important work that goes into keeping our sites safe and well managed every day. We were also delighted to welcome Bryony from St John’s Catholic Comprehensive School in Gravesham to spend the week with our design team, gaining valuable insight into the design and construction process. With a keen interest in architectural design, Bryony also visited our new build developments at The Brooks and Worcester Close, where she saw first hand how projects progress from the drawing board to construction on site.
Most recently, we welcomed Chloe from Construction Youth Trust to spend the week working with our HR Team, alongside Ezekiel and Okiki, who joined the Consort Estate team to learn more about site management. We’re proud to continue to offer work experience placements to local young people, providing valuable real world insight and helping them make informed decisions about their future careers.
Engaging with Local Schools
Careers engagement has remained a strong theme throughout the quarter, with our team supporting students at different stages of their education and helping them build practical employability skills.
In May, we attended Eltham Hill School for an interview skills day with Year 12 students, carrying out mock interviews and providing feedback to help students feel more prepared and confident. In June, we also supported interview skills sessions for Year 10 students at Haberdashers’ Borough Academy, delivered in partnership with Construction Youth Trust.
We were also pleased to attend Phoenix Community Housing’s Spotlight on Net Zero Careers Job Fair in May, where we spoke with attendees about career pathways, sustainability and the growing opportunities linked to low carbon construction.
Investing in Local Communities
Alongside our education and employment activity, we’ve continued to support local community organisations and grassroots sport, helping clubs and teams access the resources they need to thrive.
We continue to support South Thames Girls Football Club, and In April, we made a donation to fund the purchase of new equipment and facilitate their annual social event. We remain committed to encouraging young people to engage in sport as a meaningful way to help them build confidence, friendships and a sense of belonging beyond the pitch.
In addition, we’re pleased to sponsor Lewisham Borough Community Football Club for the 2026/27 season, supporting grassroots football and strengthening our connection with our local community.
Looking Ahead
As we move into the next quarter, we’re looking forward to continuing this momentum, building on our partnerships and delivering social value that supports the people and communities connected to our projects.
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