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Colleagues chose our current charity partner Barnardo’s in 2016 and we’re helping with two important projects for young care leavers:
Working in partnership with Barnardos and Youthbuild UK we created the Future Place Academy in Lewisham London to help transform the lives of young people.
Young care leavers are taught construction skills and provided with mentorship and life skills through a 12 week programme. Once they have graduated they are connected with customers of ours to gain employment and begin their career in construction.
Watch to learn moreWhen a young person leaves care for the first time it is essential they have a safe, secure and comfortable place to begin their transition to successful adulthood.
Using our expertise, materials from 22 of our brands and money raised by colleagues we have created homes for young people in Scotland. These homes, are designed to be low-cost, high performance to minimise running costs for Barnardo’s.
Learn more about Gap HomesSome of our colleagues actually work directly with charity projects as part of their role. Below are some examples of how our employees have got involved:
Shenaaz Chenia, our former Director of Industry and Community Training worked closely with Barnardo’s and helped create the Future Place training academy in Lewisham in South London. Shenaaz helped to create tailored training programmes that will provide young people with skills needed by employers – to help make their eventual move into full-time work easier.
As well Shenaaz’s time and energy, money raised from our colleagues the Saint-Gobain Foundation has also donated £43,000 to help renovate the building where the training will take place.
Shenaaz is now the CEO of Youthbuild in the UK – another charity that Saint-Gobain partners with to help young people develop skills and find employment.Shenaaz is now the CEO of Youthbuild in the UK – another charity that Saint-Gobain partners with to help young people develop skills and find employment.
Learn more about our FoundationBusiness Development Director Stuart McKill has been heavily involved in various charity projects that have taken place in Scotland. This includes a Foundation sponsored project to build a new centre to help young disadvantaged people in Glasgow. In total more than £100,000 was donated to the Prince’s Trust in Glasgow to help with the refurbishment of the centre. That, together with a great deal of hands-on support, advice and materials has helped created a fantastic facility in Glasgow that helps more than 10,000 young people a year.
Stuart has also been heavily involved in creating new Gap Homes for care leavers in Scotland with our current partner Barnardos.
Watch our movie about our partnership with the Prince’s Trust
Our colleagues look for fun ways to give back by fundraising, we must admit in sometimes hilarious ways! It’s always great to see that the money we raise is making an impact on the projects we’re involved in..
The Together Partnership brings colleagues from across all our 36 businesses together to fundraise for a common cause and they have risen to the challenge! From branch BBQ’s, cake sales, and sponsored challenges (the Three Peaks Challenge is a favourite!) to organising Dragon Boat races with suppliers, customers and friends. We actively encourage our colleagues to get hands-on with our charity partners – as well as raising vital funds.
Colleagues also use their expertise to improve facilities at local charitable organisations and do regular ‘make-over’ work.
Watch to see the impact we’ve made and the fun we’ve had!
