Saint-Gobain continues to support young people through charity partnership with Barnardo’s

Saint-Gobain commits to supporting the construction of more high-quality homes for care leavers as well as further construction training for young people through renewal of its charity alliance with Barnardo’s.

During the partnership that has been in place since 2017 Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland and Barnardo’s have built high-quality homes to help young people transition from care to independent living and provided facilities for young people to train, develop new skills in construction and find employment in the construction sector.

The new homes, part of Barnardo’s ‘Gap Homes’ plan, are purpose-built high-performing homes in Renfrewshire, Scotland which provide a lifeline to young people like Mary* facing the transition between leaving care and a permanent tenancy.

Mary*, who spent most of her life in care and was struggling with looking after her newborn baby has flourished while living in a Gap Home, maturing into a confident young woman and mother - she has since moved into her own home.

The two Gap Homes were constructed using timber frame kits by Saint-Gobain brand Scotframe and materials were supplied by Jewson, Graham, Weber and a total of 21 Saint-Gobain brands to ensure the homes were energy efficient and comfortable for care leavers.

As part of the ongoing partnership more high-quality Gap Homes for care leavers are planned across the UK.

The Barnardo’s YouthBuild Academy supported by Saint-Gobain, which launched in 2017, will also continue to help young people achieve independence and employment, while equipping them with skills to boost their future careers.

Young people attending the Lewisham-based academy will complete a six-month traineeship in multiple construction skills, as well as pursuing qualifications in literacy and numeracy - working towards the City & Guilds Level 1 Construction Skills qualification.

Mike Chaldecott, Chief Executive, Saint-Gobain UK and Ireland, said: “Our charity partnership with Barnardo’s has had a deeply profound and lasting impact on the lives of young people and is a great example of how business can work with charities to blend experience, expertise and fundraising to create a lasting legacy and make a transformational difference”.

“We are proud to have raised £1million for Barnardo’s over the last decade and our commitment to supporting care leavers into the construction industry is reflected in our purpose; Making the World a Better Home – providing the necessary skills for the next generation of construction professionals to innovate and build better living spaces.”