Pictured: Willmott Dixon's trainers help the youngsters get
to grips with DIY
Young residents at St Basils have been offered support and
training by Willmott Dixon Partnerships - to increase their skills
and confidence.
Local charity St Basils turned to Willmott Dixon to provide DIY
training for some of the young people that it is currently working
with.
The training involved a group of 15 young men and women learning
some practical DIY skills which will help them in the future.
The training, organised by Willmott Dixon's Birmingham North
team, is a continuation of support offered by Willmott Dixon across
the community.
The company first introduced a DIY workshop three months ago and
feedback was so positive that staff were invited to run a similar
scheme.
St Basils works with young people across Birmingham and North
Worcestershire to help them to find and manage a home, develop
their confidence and skills and to prevent homelessness.
The workshop complemented St Basils work and taught young people
a series of basic home maintenance skills including tiling and
plumbing - all of which could be beneficial when they are
re-housed.
Willmott Dixon Partnerships is currently working with Birmingham
City Council to repair and maintain 60,000 properties in the city.
Its two contracts for the north and south of the city include the
areas of Edgbaston, Hall Green, Northfield, Selly Oak, Ladywood,
Erdington, Perry Bar and Sutton Coldfield. It aims to reduce the
cost of this service by £47m over the five year terms of the
two contracts.
Shyeene Zaidibere, Willmott Dixon's customer and community
officer on the Birmingham North contract, said, "We continually
seek to work with communities to help leave a lasting legacy and
hope by running this event we can offer advice and help to those
seeking to further their skills.
"The work at St Basils is vital in helping young people gain
access to a home and future work opportunities across the
Birmingham area. Feedback from those taking part suggests that the
workshop was an important step in learning how to run a home -
something they are looking forward to doing in the near
future."
One young woman to have benefited from Willmott Dixon's
expertise said: "The workshop has been very useful and I have
picked up resourceful tips that will benefit me throughout my
life."
Pauline Chatt, Willmott Dixon's general manager on the
Birmingham North contract, added, "Everyone showed such enthusiasm
and willingness to learn. Events such as this are vitally important
in giving young people across Birmingham the confidence and support
to a brighter future."
With over 158 years of experience, the company provides services
within the built environment to Government, registered social
landlords, local authorities and private sector clients throughout
the UK.
Willmott Dixon Group is one of the UK's largest privately-owned
capital works, regeneration and support services companies.
Willmott Dixon Partnerships works with social housing landlords,
currently providing support services to over 120,000 homes, 1,200
public buildings and 50 commercial properties across the UK.