Wates Living Space Wins TPAS Connecting People Award

9 July, 2010

Leading affordable housing contractor, Wates Living Space, has scooped the award for Best Practice in the Community at the Midlands Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) Connecting People annual awards ceremony in Solihull.

The accolade was presented to Tom Langley, Business Director for the Building Futures programme, which gives jobseekers an opportunity to improve their employment prospects and is funded by the Wates Family Enterprise Trust.

The programme was developed to help the long term unemployed struggling to find work due to age, lack of qualifications or difficulties in returning to work. It aims to teach participants about different trades within the construction industry and undertake construction skills training to help them secure a job..

Phil Sperring, Midlands Business Unit Director for Wates Living Space said: “Building Futures is a fantastic scheme, not just because it gives people new skills, but because it inspires them to learn new things, explore new possibilities and to have confidence in their ability to succeed.

“We have found it particularly successful in the West Midlands, as we’ve been able to help those struggling to find work, and the wider community too.”

The Wates Group aims to help 500 unemployed people through the Building Futures course by 2012, and for 50 per cent of those to find employment or progress into further education or training.  Already more than 250 participants have completed the programme, with 67 per cent having moved into employment, education or training.

As part of the Building Futures programme, Wates Living Space arranges trade taster days, site visits, health and safety training, skills assessment and mentoring on personal development and interview skills. The programmes conclude with a community day where participants use their newly acquired skills to improve a community facility or assist with a community project in their area. The programme’s direct contribution to local communities equates to in excess of 2,500 hours volunteered to projects in deprived areas.

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Categories: regeneration, affordable housing, people, awards, midlands

Tags: building futures, TPAS