Our main contractors have signed up to the national Considerate Constructors Scheme and have also been encouraged to sign up to Cambridge City Council’s Considerate Contractor Scheme. They understand the importance of working well in the community and being a good neighbour.
As part of their work, many of our contractors have also carried our engagement activities within the local community, working with schools, charities and organisations on a range of initiatives, offering workshops, careers and employability training, assistance and direct fundraising. You can view their company profiles from the links to the side and read about the various groups within the communities who they have engaged.
Collaboration amongst the Contractors
Having many contractors working on this project offers a great opportunity for collaborative working. Various initiatives with the community have been undertaken through this approach.
Get Into Construction with the Prince’s Trust
Through funding from BAM to the Prince’s Trust, we are delighted to be hosting the first GET INTO CONSTRUCTION initiative in Cambridge. This opportunity provides a five-week placement for young people who are not in education, employment or training with related qualifications, employability skills and a two-week placement as work experience with one of our contractors to start them into a career in construction. Twelve local participants have started the course and we look forward to following their progress in the coming weeks.
Form the Future
Our contractors are working with Form the Future, an organisation that helps students prepare for their future careers. In January, representatives from Wates, BAM, Skanska and Farrans participated together in a Signpost 2 Skills event to promote the construction industry at Anglia Ruskin University which saw hundreds of local school children visiting the different stands for various industries. Further collaborative work is expected to run for school children in the near future.
Working with Wintercomfort
Under CRASH, the construction industry’s charity that is helping projects related to homelessness, the contractors are currently working with Cambridge Wintercomfort - a local charity that supports those with experience of homelessness by offering essential welfare services and social, learning and work opportunities to enable them to achieve their potential. Our contractors have been helping to meet immediate and long term objectives. BAM with their team assisted with remedial works to the roof and electrical repairs. Now, a team is working together including from BAM, Wates, and Gardiner and Theobald to work with the charity for the feasibility of an extension to their building that will enable them to increase their social enterprise capacity.