Using Social Benefit funding from our 240 project we have set up a social enterprise that helps people who have been homeless to gain work experience in construction, maintenance or catering. We run his project in partnership with Urban Villages, Queen University, Henry Bros, McKelvey Construction and Refresh Café. We are working with companies to help them achieve their Social Value obligations while helping our clients access training, work experience and paid employment.
The majority of our clients want to work, either now or in the future. To help them towards this goal, we offer mentoring access to employment programs, including construction and catering.
A few weeks ago, Daniel joined us for a site visit to get his first taste of what it’s like to work on a live building site. Inspired by the experience, he decided he wanted to dive in deeper and gain hands on experience by volunteering on the project.
Daniel isn’t new to Hosford, he has previously volunteered with us, focusing on domestic decorating and building his skills in home improvement. During this time, he also took the initiative to study for and earn his CSR card, a significant step that enables him to work safely on construction sites.
Since joining this project, Daniel has found that volunteering isn’t just a fantastic way to build his skills in construction, it’s also an opportunity for him to connect with others and expand his social circle. He’s excited to keep contributing and learning more as the project progresses.
Reflecting on his time on site, Daniel shared, “I really had a great time today. We worked hard, and I feel so much better for it.”