Sustainable Development & CSR
within Rydon

• Communities View case studies
• Ivor Goodsite - Have You!

  • The sites we work on can be dangerous places, especially for children. At Ferrier Point, Canning Town, we called upon Ivor Goodsite for his help in ensuring they knew how to stay safe when works are being carried out in and around their home.

    
    The Kier Hardy primary school, adjacent to Ferrier Point, accommodated the RLO team along with Ivor Goodsite from the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) to deliver a number of school safety talks to the children.
    
    They were advised on the dangers of building sites, how to stay safe when living around a site like Ferrier Point, and answered some quizzing questions about all the uniform us ‘builders’ have to wear.
    Rydon safety bookmarks, stickers, pencil cases and colouring books were given to the pupils to help them understand our message…‘Never Go on a building site!’.
    
    “In a fun and interactive way, the Rydon Team dealt with the children’s natural curiosity and dispelled the mystery about what happens behind the building site hoardings whilst pointing out the dangers of going onto a building site. The children thoroughly enjoyed the session and especially seeing their artwork decorating on the hoardings nearby”
    
    These talks were then followed by a colouring competition, against the clock! All pupils from years 3 and 4 produced images on mdf boards of their ideal home. These were then mounted on the hoarding surrounding the site for everyone to see. We were pleased to engage the children in the work we do, and Ivor also took part in the prize giving to the top three paintings!

     

    
• St Pauls Primary School, St Georges Estate

  • St Paul’s Primary School, in Whitechapel, neighbours the St Georges Estate where Rydon provided much needed modern façade treatment to 484 mixed-tenure houses and flats.

     

    Work comprised replacing over 4,800 windows, cleaning over 12,000m² of brickwork (three times the surface area of Big Ben!) and engaging over 500 residents within a multi-cultural community.

     

    Despite a busy works programme, the team at St Georges hung up their hard hats and put on their gardening gloves as part of an exciting and rewarding outdoor renovation project at the St Paul’s Primary School.

     

    Little work had been done to the garden and the school’s outbuilding for many months. And despite the children spending their lunch breaks helping to clear the leaves, more help was needed.

     

    The children spent time learning about the various plants and flowers that were planted and made their own bird feeders to encourage wildlife into their new garden.

     

    The project involved the work of the Rydon site and resident liaison team as well as Rydon’s subcontractor SDP. They got to work and transformed the garden into a tidy, practical and attractive outside space. The outbuilding was also completely refurbished with new electrics, UPVC windows and doors and was decorated with a fresh coat of paint, all donated by Rydon and SDP.

     

    The team managed to fill over 30 bags of leaves and planted over 75 new shrubs and flowers. The result was extremely rewarding and the children can now learn more about looking after their new garden and enjoy more time spent outdoors.

     

    
• Myatts Field North Communituy Fun Day

  • A community fun day was held for all residents who live on the Myatt’s Field North Estate in Lambeth.

     

    The event was held at the Bramah Green Community Centre on the Estate and saw many people, both young and old, join in activities that were funded and organised by Rydon and all the other partners on the Regenter Myatts Field North consortium including Regenter, Higgins Construction, Pinnacle PSG and E.ON.

     

    Activities ranged from energetic Olympic-themed game races and an outdoor Zumba class to a colouring competition and face painting for the children. Food was provided from a Caribbean-themed BBQ and there was a big a celebratory cake.

     

    Ivor Goodsite from the Considerate Constructors Scheme paid a visit and took the children through a demonstration of PPE and why safety is so important when working on a construction site.

     

    A video pod was organised for residents to record their experiences of living on Myatt’s Field North and what they thought about the regeneration that is currently underway.

     

    To keep residents up to date about the regeneration programme, an exhibition was set up called the ‘info hub’. Each partner of the Regenter consortium gave local residents an opportunity to have their say posting questions and answers that they had been frequently asking as well as some images of the plans for the next stages of the scheme.

     

    Rydon is working as part of the Regenter Myatts Field North consortium to deliver a major regeneration of the Lambeth estate over a 25 year period. The project includes building 305 new homes, modernising and refurbishing 172 existing homes, providing a new landscaped park with a games area and community centre as well as a new energy plant to provide reliable and efficient heating and hot water.

     

    
• New North Children's Centre

  • The New North Community School and Children’s Centre is situated on Popham Road, Islington, and is a two form entry primary school with an integrated Children’s Centre.

     

    The School and Children’s Centre has been providing wrap around services and activities within a wide range of areas such as children’s health and development, parenting support, ESOL classes and free legal and housing advice. As part of an innovative partnership with The Hyde Housing Group, The New North and Rydon, it has opened a satellite site in the heart of the local community at 190 Packington Square.

     

    Working alongside Rydon Construction, Hyde Northside Homes and The New North School, Rydon Maintenance have recently completed a £35,000 Scheme, transforming 3 void flats into a fully refurbished on-site satellite facility. The transformation has provided a clean, fresh and interim base for high quality family support services, training, workshops and drop in ‘play & chat’ sessions.

     

    "We are thrilled we are now able to offer services directly from the community that will improve outcomes for children and families during what is likely to be a stressful time for all due to the redevelopment of the Packington Square Estate. This project allows us to work with families with children from birth right through to the end of primary school creating a secure community base for which parents, carers and children have ownership." Ana Sevilla, The New North Community School & Children’s Centre Manager

     

    Providing this within the Packington estate has enabled the families there to use the facilities offered by The New North School, such as:

     

    •  Stay and Play sessions
    •  Training courses and workshops with crèche facilities
    •  Childminders network
    •  Child development reviews
    •  Speech and language workshops
    •  Information and advice sessions
    •  Free legal advice
    •  Special needs toy library

     

    Mary McStay, Head teacher, adds, "This is an innovative project working with partners to provide services to our children at the heart of the community. Operating as an integrated extended school and children’s centre enables us to join with our colleagues from other agencies to better meet the needs of our children and families."

     

    New North will be moving this service to the new Community Centre on the Packington Square Estate and will be able to expand the services to the local community even further. As part of the handover and official opening of the project, Kate Garraway, GMTV’s presenter and local mum, accepted a cheque for £500 from Rydon for The New North to purchase sensory play equipment within the facility.

     

    
• Rydon supports L&Q’s community work in Sussex

  • Working with L&Q, Rydon is providing repair and maintenance services free of charge to the Broadfield Community Centre in Crawley, West Sussex.

     

    The centre is located at the heart of one of the largest estates in the town and serves as the backbone of the community providing the Broadfield Estate with children’s services, youth clubs and adult education.  It is independently run and is completely reliant on donations with the money it generates from room hire fees to cover running costs.

     

    Maintenance of these facilities is an ongoing task, but through its long term supporter, the housing association L&Q, Rydon has stepped forward to help with repairs and maintenance problems such as blocked drains and central heating and offering advice on larger and long-term issues.      

     

    “We are very proud to provide our services free of charge to the Broadfield Community Centre. It was more than apparent within minutes of my arrival there for the first time that this was the hub of the local community. The atmosphere is captivating and gives us a real sense of purpose in assisting the community we serve and maintaining the building which has suffered due to lacking funds.” Lyn Ware - Operations Manager for Rydon

     

    L&Q has been a long term supporter of the Broadfield Community Centre and as part of its work with local community organisations and charities. It launched the L&Q Foundation to invest in community development projects as well as sponsoring the creation of community facilities new housing developments around London and the South East.

     

    Rydon provides housing association L&Q with a dedicated fast response maintenance team, ensuring that their 3,000 occupied homes, including the Broadfield Estate, are kept in the best possible condition across parts of Sussex, Hampshire, Kent and Surrey.

    
     

    
• Environmental View case studies
• Delivering Sustainable Regeneration

  • A sustainable heating system is amongst a number of energy efficient and sustainable community measures making up the redevelopment of this mixed-use estate in Islington.

     

    All new buildings on the Packington Estate maintain sustainable principles achieving an Excellent Sustainable Homes Accreditation for the first two phases. Rydon has used CHP technology, passive solar design, high levels of insulation, energy efficient lighting and variable speed drives. Whole-house ventilation (including heat recovery) helps to achieve a carbon emission saving of at least 40%.   

     

    The Estate is heated by CHP plant, a wood pellet biomass boiler and gas-fired boilers as well as a large heat store, all linked to a new single energy centre. The sustainable community heating system meets the energy demand of the 521 affordable houses and flats: 301 private flats; Community Centre; Youth Centre; workshops; and commercial units.

     

    The local environment has been enhanced by retaining and adding a large amount of green space. A green corridor established along the canal protects existing and encourages wildlife habitats, alongside the creation of two new London Squares. Sensitive lighting along the canal path ensures safety for tow path users, whilst protecting bat migration routes. Green roofs on apartment blocks continue the corridor above ground level.

     

    A balanced community is being created through housing long-standing social residents in some of the best locations, for example in canal-side homes by Regents Canal and in Union Square, as well as having apartments for private sale. 100% of the affordable housing meets ‘Lifetime Homes’ standard and 10% of the housing is wheelchair accessible.

     

    “The Packington Estate is being transformed from isolated blocks of intimidating and soulless housing into a living community with real heart and purpose. I never in my life thought I would get a home as spacious as this and it is by far the best of its type in London, it really feels like a palace!”  Mrs. Yurukogullari, Packington Estate resident.

     

    Training and skills

     

    Residents have been trained to become debt and money advisors and helped into employment and training.

     

    Working with The Prince’s Trust’s “Get into Construction” programme, 21 young people from Islington have gained CSCS cards – essential to secure work on a construction site. Eight paid placements, two full-time apprenticeships and a full-time member of staff have all been recruited from the local area so far with Rydon, with subsequent schemes in the pipeline throughout the project.

     

     

    
• Biodiversity protection and natural resource protection

  • Encouraging biodiversity and sustainable urban drainage

     

    The protection of existing habitats and the promotion of biodiversity is an important sustainability consideration for all schemes. On each site we investigate ways in which buildings and associated landscapes can provide a learning resource to facilitate development of environmental issues within the school curriculum.

     

    Ecological protection and the successful creation of ecosystems to enhance the natural environment.

     

    At Church Fields, Snodland (an affordable housing scheme), the site was located adjacent to a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest). In order to protect this we created a detailed Environmental Management System to enable the correct measures to take place to protect the natural environment.

     

    Remediation works were undertaken to enable works to begin for the provision of 41 newly built homes.

     

    At the outset we established an ecological buffer zone. Upon completion of the construction works, a new ecosystem was established through the creation of a stream running through the site.

     

    The remediation process included dealing with contaminants such as cyanide and the installation of barrier walls to prevent migration of contamination.  The site is also in a flood plain which has influenced the surface water drainage design.

     

    A high pressure gas main runs though the site, which severely limits the viable construction techniques in the vicinity. Construction utilised timber frame with brick cladding and traditional pitched tile roofs.  The scheme provides a public amenity space along with a children’s play area and an ecological buffer zone to the adjacent SSSI site.

     

    Numerous animals and reptiles were relocated prior to start on site, and a wildlife area was formed to encourage biodiversity and maintain the natural habitat for wild life.

     

    The exceptional measures taken to protect the biodiversity on this project led it to receive accreditation of Eco-Homes Excellent.  

     

    
• Supporting Local Businesses and Reducing Environmental Impact

  • Rydon joined up with Islington-based decorating firm K&M Decorating Ltd to renovate local homes, as part of the Islington Council’s iCAM supply scheme.

     

    The scheme was initially set up to help local companies and organisations obtain the maximum economic benefits from major developments taking place in Camden and Islington. There were many practical benefits associated with appointing a local subcontractor for these works, including:

     

    • Reduction in transport within the borough.
    • Reduction in parking/congestion.
    • Greater flexibility and reliability of supply of materials to site from local companies.
    • Better access to senior management and opportunity for face to face meetings.
    • Support for the local economy.

     

    “We are heartened to know that Rydon is actively considering using local Islington companies as subcontractors, and look forward to more good news about local supply chain awards in the future”. Glenroy Anderson, iCAM Supply Project Director.

     

    Clifford Yeend, Rydon Maintenance Divisional Manager, adds, “There are many practical benefits of working with local companies, and we are delighted that Islington has a great local network that we can tap in to. All elements of the regeneration process are aimed at improving the local community, and working with local businesses contributes to this.”

     

    Rydon is one of the four companies involved in Partners for Improvement in Islington, an organisation that works in partnership with the London Borough of Islington to improve and manage council-owned property in the area.

     

    
• Relish Pilot Study

  • Our RelishTM (Residents 4 Low Impact Sustainable Homes) project, developed in partnership with Worthing Homes and FFT was set up in response to the pressing necessity to find sustainable ways to reduce carbon emissions in the home, and eliminate the existence of fuel poverty.

     

    In comparison with other EU countries such as Germany and Finland, the UK has been relatively slow to embrace the low carbon agenda. This is mainly due to lack of knowledge about the occupier/user of our building stock, the slow response of the industry to deliver low carbon solutions, as well as uncertain strategy from the UK government. By undertaking this project, Rydon has been able to reciprocate these barriers within a ‘workable’ life-like example. Thus, this initiative demonstrates how, through a pragmatic and cost effective approach to retrofitting homes, alongside a stakeholder education programme, we can reduce carbon emissions and energy costs for residents.

     

    The Relish™ approach examines the impact of even the smallest measures showing how the accumulative effect of adopting good energy habits and ‘low carbon’ works can reduce fuel consumption by 20%.

     

    The Relish pilot study has won several awards including the Energy Saving Initiative at Sustainable Housing 2010 and the Construction Excellence Innovation in Practice award, for its practical and relevant application to addressing the needs of our housing stock.

     

    The Pilot Study: Phase 1

     

    Phase 1 involved comparing various sources of renewable energy technology and works, ranking them in order of maximum impact for carbon and financial savings as well as recognising the importance of communication and education about the benefits and meaning of low carbon living, with household residents. Much of the data we have collected is typical for certain plant, which we obtained from the BRE and the Energy Savings Trust, but we also work closely with organisations such as Green Spec to ensure we are specifying the latest and most appropriate technology from across the construction industry.

     

    The most unique conclusions from this project are twofold:

     

    Post occupancy monitoring-  the project did not only rely on SAP calculations to predict the outcomes and energy savings, but a thorough and meaningful post occupancy monitoring process was undertaken to understand how various technologies and low carbon measures perform in real life. All of our clients can now benefit from our experience and the outcomes we obtained from this research, as we understand the practical implications and considerations needed when approaching various sustainable solutions.

     

    Resident engagement– it is important that residents are engaged at the start (with the actual work being undertaken) so that all users can understand the reasons for the chosen solution. If this first step is ensured, then it is possible for a trust to be built up and therefore help to maximise the potential benefits and savings from the works. This ‘buy-in’ particularly from household residents is paramount, because it is unequivocal that people determine how well these technologies perform. Therefore to maximise the performance of the technology and all the funding mechanisms available, all parties will see the cost savings if the entire life cycle of the investment is well managed.  

     

    What sets Relish™ apart from other sustainable energy programmes is that everyone can do it – ‘easy to do’ lifestyle changes and simple affordable home improvements really do make a difference to energy bills. A copy of the report of the Relish project Phase 1 is available– which includes tables and further details of “Best value options” for social housing solutions.

     

     

    
• Low Carbon Refurbishment

  • Ferrier Point is a 23 storey tower block in Canning Town, within the London Borough of Newham. The block was completed in 1968 and is the only remaining one of five blocks built in the area dating from the 1960s.

     

    The refurbishment of Ferrier Point was the first project of the major regeneration of Canning Town and Custom House areas in Newham, a 15 year, over £3 billion commitment to revitalising an area with one of the highest levels of poverty and unemployment within the UK.

     

    What has Rydon done?

     

    • The refurbishment works include:
    • Installation of insulated rainscreen cladding to all elevations;
    • New triple glazed thermally efficient windows;
    • New roofing;
    • Full internal refurbishment to all 115 homes (including new hot water & heating systems and bringing electrical systems to modern standards);
    • New ground floor entrance area and concierge desk;
    • New CCTV and door entry security;
    • Installation of 375m2 of photovoltaic panels to provide free power to the building.

     

    The installation of PV cells, which cover 50% of the south façade of the building, feed power back into the national grid providing enough to cover the cost of the communal power and lighting.

     

    As well as the PV cells, the installation of triple glazed windows, an additional 200mm of insulation to the elevations and roof area, along with the installation of SEDBUK A-rated boilers to all properties, reduces the carbon footprint of the entire block by up to 50%. This helps reduce resident bills, whilst transforming it into a vibrant, modern and desirable place to live.

     

    Bag for Life

     

    Our continued commitment to sustainability within construction meant this project was an ideal candidate to launch the new Rydon Bag for Life.

     

    The eco-friendly bag is full of the latest products which Rydon is encouraging residents to use to help reduce their energy consumption within their homes and save money on their energy bills. All of the products are easy to use and can be incorporated within any family home.

     

    To further support residents and be at the forefront of initiatives of this kind we are also introducing one-to-one home visits with the residents, supported by our Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate, Andrew Leatherland alongside the Resident Liaison Team. Our aim is to help change the resident’s behaviours, and encourage them to make small and easy changes to their day to day lives, which then have a huge impact on the environment and their wallets!

     

    
• People View case studies
• Making that first connection to a lifelong career

  • Rydon has an ongoing commitment to provide work experience to young people within the communities it works. Through a variety of initiatives hosted on construction sites and in our office locations, each year we provide many students the opportunity to secure hands on experience in a real work environment.

     

    In partnership with Connexions, a not-for-profit organisation providing career advice and support services, Rydon provides opportunities for those who would like to get a taste of what life could be like working in our industry, but are not sure where to start or who to contact.

     

    The below diary is from Nathan Stanley, a student at Claremont Senior School, who was in exactly this situation; his ambition to become an engineer. During this time with us, Nathan kept an account of the activities he covered each day during a week-long placement working at the Harrow office of housing management company Network Group, a client of Rydon.

     

    “My experience with Rydon was a real insight into what goes on in the world of maintenance. I now have a better understanding of the challenges involved with scheduling and reacting to repair and maintenance issues in social housing. I found the inspection of voids the most interesting of all and found my time here with Rydon a really positive experience.” Nathan Stanley, 16, Claremont Senior School.

     

    Day one:  On the first day I was shown how to use and worked through tasks on three project management and electronic scheduling systems including Northgate, Planet and OptiTime. I also helped the contracts manager complete scheduling and raising work orders as well as purchase order entries.

     

    Day two: We spent the whole day out on sites surveying tenants’ properties and assessing any damage. This was really interesting as each property had different requirements - I had to decide which fixtures and fittings should be kept and which needed updating.  

     

    Day three: Day three and we were back in the office inputting much of the data that we identified from the properties the day before. I also carried on the surveying of the voids electronically and supported the activities of the site team by closing off their work orders.

     

    Day four: Back out with the client properties, surveying of voids from Network Group’s properties in North West London. Later on we completed the inspection of completed voids. It’s great to see how nice a refurbished property looks for the new tenant.

     

    Day five:  On my last day I saw a very different aspect to Rydon’s operation, supporting the customer care function. Helping the administrator input and file jobs onto spreadsheets, it was fascinating to see the complexity involved in maintaining a large portfolio of properties.

     

    
• Rydon Apprenticeships: Working in partnership with Network Stadium

  • Rydon is one of two contractors appointed by Network Stadium to be responsible for carrying out general building work repairs to Network Stadium homes, as well as for refurbishing empty properties to make them ready to relet quickly. A condition of the contract was to create training opportunities for local people.

     

    Mickey’s family are residents of Network Stadium and live at St.Thomas Court in Camden, London. “I received a flyer from Network Stadium advertising a role for an apprentice carpenter with Rydon, who maintain and repair Network Stadium homes in our area. It seemed just the thing I’d like to do so I phoned up and asked for more information.”

     

    After completing an application form Mickey was interviewed by Rydon back in July and they offered him the role, which he started in mid-October. Mickey explains that he spends four days a week with a Rydon operative, travelling to different Network Stadium sites around Wembley Park, Cricklewood and Willesden, where he helps to maintain residents’ homes.

     

    “I wanted to do something with my hands; there’s always a job and I enjoy using wood,” says Mickey Deeney, 21, who has become one of the first Network Stadium residents to benefit from the association’s partnership with Rydon, a leading building and maintenance contractor.

     

    One day each week Mickey is on day release at the College of North West London in Neasden, studying towards an NVQ Level 2 in carpentry and is also learning basic skills in electrical and plumbing. The course lasts for three years.

     

    So what’s it like to work out on site?

     

    “You always have a laugh and there are always a lot of other people about. If it’s wet or cold, you cheer each other up! One of my first tasks at Rydon was to help to replace a door at a resident’s home. I learnt how to measure, fit and install the door.”

     

    Until he joined Rydon, Mickey had been working at a local Marks & Spencer. Now he has the opportunity to achieve his goal and become a fully qualified carpenter.

     

    What does the future hold?

     

    “I don’t want to be using tools all my life, but would like to be a working foreman or supervisor. The company is good at offering training and qualifications.”

     

    
• Summer Work Experience Initiative

  • Rydon Maintenance engaged with local schools and offered a week’s work experience to pupils during the summer holidays. Our initial trial, with Patcham School, in Brighton, gained a lot of interest and publicity. Since then, many young people have had the opportunity of working on our summer work experience programmes.

     

    Rydon is committed to developing skills for school pupils and we look forward to an influx of good people into our work force. The work experience schemes were designed to inspire young people to want to work in our industry and, hopefully, at Rydon.

     

    The work experience initiative forms part of our Corporate Social Responsibility programme. We consider it good CSR because it meets Rydon’s business needs whilst contributing to the improvement and sustainability of the communities in which we are working, as set out in our CSR Policy.

     

    The branch is working with local schools in the community to promote summer work experience programmes for 16 to 21 year olds.

     

    The programmes have been designed and developed by our experienced supervisory team with the objective of providing candidates with practical experience of working in building maintenance. This gives them the opportunity to consider this as a career choice whilst, at the same time, obtaining an overview of Rydon as an organisation and business. Successful candidates can then look forward to the possibility of being selected as an apprentice and of becoming a full-time employee at Rydon.

     

    The programme provides Rydon with a structured approach to creating employment opportunities and enables us to establish objectives and measurements of our success rates. It also enables us to continuously improve the programme by carefully observing how young people respond to different learning experiences and what is most successful in generating enthusiasm and positive motivation.

     

    The primary benefit of the work experience initiative is to enable us to identify and select the most appropriate young people to join our team. At the same time it allows us to provide opportunities for young people looking for employment in the communities in which we operate. Running successful programmes such as these enhances our reputation with our clients and partners and improves our image as a good employer.
    By encouraging, advising, facilitating and promoting workforce developments, the resulting benefits are kept within the community, the skills base in the community is increased thereby contributing to the sustainability of the local area.

     

    An example of a typical week’s work experience

     

    After participating in a work experience week in conjunction with Downland Housing Association, Rydon Maintenance offered 15 year old Denzel Martin, a year 10 pupil at the Cardinal Newman Catholic School, in Hove, the opportunity of undertaking a weeklong work experience programme based at our offices in East Grinstead.

    
    A typical programme, is organised as follows:

    Day 1 - We carried out site induction and a young’s person risk assessment. Denzel shadowed the Helpdesk in taking repair requests from residents and was shown how repair works are scheduled on our in-house Computer Aided Facilities Management System.

    
    Day 2 - Denzel shadowed a plumber, carrying out repairs to leaking sink taps, installing wash hand basins and fitting new bath taps.

    
    Day 3 - Was spent shadowing a multi-trade operative carrying out fencing repairs, changing locks and easing and adjusting Upvc windows

    
    Day 4 - Denzel spent the day with a carpenter/multi trade operative, renewing internal doors, kitchen worktops and ground works.

    
    Day 5 - He worked with a multi trade operative laying paving slabs, repairing kitchen units and unblocking bath drains.

     

    At the conclusion of his week’s experience, Rydon’s Service Manager, Richard Pickup, presented Denzel with a quality tool kit. The gift was:

     

    • To reward him for his enthusiasm and efforts during the week.
    • To assist in sustaining his enthusiasm for the repairs and maintenance industry.
    • To remind him that Rydon will be following his educational studies with a view to considering him for an apprenticeship
    • To enable him to practice completing minor jobs at home
    • All the team at Rydon were very pleased with Denzel’s attitude and the interest he demonstrated in building maintenance.

     

    During programmes such as that we ran for Denzel, Rydon’s Training and Education Manager liaises with the young person’s tutors and supervisors to ensure that they are progressing with their work experience.

     

    
• Georgia Hardie

  • When Georgia, 20, from Fontley Way, was 11-years-old, her family situation forced her into homelessness. With the help of the Get into Construction scheme run by Rydon and The Prince’s Trust she has found new opportunities in her life.

    As a child, Georgia spent three years living secretly in her sister’s hostel, finally receiving housing support when she turned 14-years-old. Without any emotional support, Georgia found school tough and she left with few qualifications.

    Georgia’s downward spiral continued when she reached 17. She was moved to a council flat in a deprived area of South West London and the terrible condition of her flat left her feeling vulnerable and isolated.  It was at this point that Georgia hit rock bottom. She found herself unemployed with no job skills and no purpose except a desperate need to turn her life around.

    Georgia signed up to the Get into Construction programme which Rydon was running soon after her Centrepoint worker referred her to The Prince’s Trust. The Get into Construction programme takes two weeks to complete and helps unemployed young people to gain an insight into the construction industry, and offers them the opportunity to be able to find a sustainable training and job.

    Georgia showed great determination to succeed on the course, travelling three hours a day to get to and from Rydon’s Packington Estate construction site, in Islington. Georgia was enthusiastic and worked hard to gain her CSCS card, which is the key qualification needed to work on a construction site, as well as learning skills such as carpentry, plumbing and plastering.

    Upon finishing, Georgia was offered work by Rydon and SDP Solutions, one of Rydon’s subcontractors on the Packington Scheme. She received a Development Award from The Prince’s Trust to pay for travel costs to work and impressed her supervisors sufficiently to be offered an apprenticeship with Rydon. Georgia continues to grow from strength to strength in her apprenticeship, gaining confidence and valuable expertise as she goes.

     

    
• Providing the skills for a sustainable career

  • Live Train was created to provide local people with the skills and opportunities to get work in the construction and maintenance industry. Through a focus on site-based training, the programme enables apprentices to experience the reality of the industry first hand before they make a commitment to a full time role in employment.

    Rydon has partnered with SDP Solutions to deliver Live Train through 12 week programmes to groups of 10 apprentices. The programme is run three times a year and comprises an eight week course at Anchor House, an award winning life skills centre in East London, followed by the students being placed out on to a site into a live construction environment.

    Live Train provides people the opportunity from all walks of life to progress to a fulfilling, long term career.

    Working locally for Metropolitan Housing Group on the Ashmole Estate in South London, a trade taster day was held for potential apprentices from Estate and across Lambeth to get a sense of the activities that would be covered in the 12 week programme as well as the opportunity to try their hand at various trades.

    Workshops included plastering, carpentry, decorating, plumbing and bricklaying, as well as opportunities throughout the day to learn about Health & Safety, obtaining their CSCS qualification and quizzing the tutors on what they know!

    On completion of the course, Live Train remains on hand to offer graduates advice and guidance on the next steps in their career and to help them find and secure the right employment opportunity or work placement for them though SDP Solutions, Rydon or through its supply chain.

    “What Live Train does is to give people the opportunity to learn trade skills, get formally qualified and gain exposure to a national contractor and its supply chain. This is a scheme that will make a long-term difference to people’s lives and we are excited to have the 10 apprentices on board as part of our work on the Ashmole Estate.” Steve Blake, Refurbishement Director.

    Rydon has been working on the Ashmole Estate to deliver internal and external upgrade works to 700 properties. It is installing new kitchens, bathrooms, double-glazed windows and a new district heating system. Externally it is overcladding the two tower blocks. Work will be delivered in two phases over the next five years and started on site in September 2011.