Salix Homes houses help tain local people

A Salford-based housing company is helping local people to find a job in the construction industry by letting them renovate council houses in the city as part of their training.

Salix Homes, Salford City Council's housing management company has teamed up with B4Box, a new training and construction programme set up to give local people the skills and qualifications needed to get a job in construction.

As part of their hands-on training, learners will work alongside fully qualified contractors to help fit kitchens, bathrooms and new doors in Salix Homes' managed properties in central Salford.

Once renovated, the properties will be rented out again as affordable housing for local people.

Salix Homes was set up by the council in July 2007 to manage 10,600 of it homes in central Salford. It is also responsible for helping to deliver regeneration in the area as part of a multi-million pound investment to bring houses up to the government's Decent Homes Standard.

The B4Box programme, supported by the industry sector skills council ConstructionSkills, gives trainees the opportunity to study to NVQ Level 2 and 3 as well as obtaining the correct certificates to become employable in the building trade.

Using a skills exchange system to train people, the programme allows people with skills but no qualifications to work towards becoming fully accredited by training others who are unskilled or who are working below their current skill set.

The new social enterprise will help to improve social inclusion and skills base across the city while reducing worklessness.

This year, 14 apprentices have been awarded a place on the course, part of which takes place at Salford Community College.

Tom Owens, 25, from Lower Broughton is one of the first starters.

He said: "Although I've built up experience working in construction I've been unemployed for several years.

"After a number of unsuccessful job applications and with three kids to support I had almost given up on building a career in construction.

"I've got plenty of determination and ambition - I just needed somebody to give me a chance and some guidance and I feel like B4Box has thrown me a lifeline.

"I've got a structured career path and I'm currently working towards an NVQ Level 2 in maintenance operations."

Joe Willis, Director of Services in Neighbourhoods at Salix Homes said: "This project has opened up invaluable training opportunities for local people to help them into their chosen careers and we're delighted that we've been able to play a part in making it happen.

"Investing in local people is a key part of the regeneration of central Salford and as relatively new company ourselves it's important that we forge links with businesses that will benefit the community.

B4Box was set up in Salford by entrepreneur Aileen McDonnell after successfully running a similar project in East Sussex with Hastings Trust.

She said: "The investment in central Salford has created a lot of employment opportunities and it's important that local people have access to these.

"The majority of site workers enter the industry through informal routes, learn on the job and have no formal qualifications and joining forces with Salix Homes gives trainees valuable practical experience that employers in the construction industry are desperately looking for."

ENDS

Notes for editors

If you would like to interview Tom who is a trainee on the course, please contact Katy Barnes.

Salix Homes Ltd is helping to deliver Salford City Council's five-year strategy to bring all council housing up to the Decent Homes Standard, a multi-million pound vision for the city.

Salix Homes is an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) and is a not-for-profit company responsible for the day-to-day management of 10,600 homes across Central Salford, Rainsough Brow and Beechfarm.

It is responsible for delivering housing-led regeneration services which come within the Manchester-Salford Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder area.

For more information on Salix Homes, please contact Public Relations Officer, Katy Barnes on 0161 793 3157. Salix Homes' involvement in the B4 Box project is supported by GM Procure, a North West based procurement consortium working with a range of housing providers to promote best practice.

More information on ConstructionSkills at www.cskills.org

Katy Barnes

Public relations officer

Tel: 0161 793 3157

Email: katy.barnes@salford.gov.uk

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