Jewson Partnership Solutions (JPS), a public sector building materials supplier, has completed its
seventh community project with YouthBuild, a non-profit which teaches construction skills to
marginalised and disadvantaged young adults and helps them to find employment within their
chosen trade.
JPS colleagues attended the Javan Coker Foundation in Abbey Wood, London, in June to help
YouthBuild students with the refurbishment of the foundation’s community centre, which supports
children and young people with special educational and additional needs.
The project was part of the 13 week YouthBuild YB100 course, which is a fast-paced intensive
Green Futures Construction Bootcamp, designed for unemployed and marginalised young people
between the age of 18-29. It teaches them relevant skillsets and mindsets via a holistic approach
to youth development and industry-led construction training, enabling them to access
opportunities and sustain livelihoods.
As well as supporting YouthBuild on community projects, JPS – which is part of STARK Building
Materials UK – provides tools, equipment and training to YouthBuild students and helps graduates
of the programme to find employment in the construction sector. Earlier this month, JPS
colleagues also led a CV coaching and mock interview workshop to prepare the YouthBuild
students set to take the first steps in their careers.
Scott Cooper, managing director of JPS, which has partnered with YouthBuild since 2021, said: “It
is a huge honour to partner with YouthBuild and to play a role in shaping the future careers of these
talented young people. Seeing them grow in confidence and demonstrate their newly acquired
trades on this latest community project has been incredibly rewarding.
“The Javan Coker Foundation is an excellent cause that empowers children and young people with
disabilities and special educational or additional needs, and their families. The centre is vital to the
local community, and we are proud to have played a role in refurbishing the site so that it can
continue to benefit families in Abbey Wood and beyond.”
The current cohort of YouthBuild students will graduate on 23rd June, following in the footsteps of
more than 120 previous graduates that JPS has supported on the programme.
Many of the students who join YouthBuild have faced incredibly challenging situations and come
from disadvantaged backgrounds, entering the programme with low self-esteem and little
knowledge of how to access employment.
Shenaaz Chenia, CEO at YouthBuild Ventures UK, said: “The ongoing support from JPS means that
our youth partners are able to receive the highest quality training in construction pathways. This
plays a significant part in them being ready to work in the sector, while our collaborative solutions
also drive community prosperity.”
