Construction Youth Trust

Building brighter futures for young people

The transition from education to work can be tough – especially for young people from low-income households or those who struggle academically. That’s why the Construction Youth Trust educates, trains and inspires young people to overcome barriers and build their future in the construction industry.

Its ‘Building Futures in the Tri-borough’ programme is widening the horizons of young people in west central London and challenging career stereotypes. We’re supporting the programme in its final year, and our £25,000 grant is helping to fund work with six schools in Kensington & Chelsea – that’s around 600 young people.

Our grant to Construction Youth Trust means around 600 young people will learn about careers in the construction industry.
90% of young people who took part in previous Construction Youth Trust activities said they have gained an understanding and/or developed the soft skills that employers are looking for (such as teamwork, leadership, communication and presentation skills).
87% of ‘influencers’ (such as teachers and industry volunteers) said the activities improved young people’s awareness of apprenticeships and vocation pathways to work.

Developing skills to succeed in construction

Young people benefit from a range of activities: from employer-led presentations through to real-world experiences of work. The project also offers a targeted intensive support programme of one-to-one mentoring, group skills development, and progression support for young people most at risk of not making a successful move from education to work.

Since September 2019 the programme as a whole has reached almost 10,000 young people across 16 schools and colleges in the three local authorities (Kensington & Chelsea, Hammersmith & Fulham, and Westminster).

In 2023, we supported Construction Youth Trust to build on this success with a grant of £50,000 for Pathways to Professional Careers. At least 50 young people from the London boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea, Westminster and Hammersmith & Fulham will benefit from a full programme of coaching and employability support to help them secure apprenticeships.

“The support of Kusuma Trust is helping to provide the young people of the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea with the chance to engage and interact with potential employers from the construction and built environment sector.”

Carol Lynch, Chief Executive, Construction Youth Trust