Building London, Creating Futures

Building London Creating Futures (BLCF) is a partnership set upto help people in London find long-term employment while helpingthe construction industry recruit and retain skilled staff.

This site has been designed to showcase the type of support BLCFcan offer to potential employees and employers alike.

Who we are

BLCF is a partnership led by Southwark Council established to tackle skills shortages in the construction industry in central London, while also finding jobs for local people.

Construction employers often have problems filling vacancies,even though there are many local people looking for work.

As well as helping employers meet their recruitment needs, BLCFprovide personalised support for local people, particularly thelong-term unemployed, looking for work in the constructionindustry. This will ultimately create a cross-London network ofskilled people who can be transferred from site to site.

Overview

There are a growing number of regeneration and development sitesspringing up in central London, often in areas of high deprivationand unemployment. It was recognised that these could provide anopportunity to fill workforce gaps with skilled local people. Aninitiative of this nature could also be used to provide access totraining and to promote sustainable employment.

The BLCF partnership has a body of members from the public,private and voluntary sectors. The initial seed funding, from theSkills Development Fund (SDF) through the London Development Agency(LDA), covered a pilot from August 2001 to March 2002, prior to theproject being rolled out across central London. This pilot was usedto create a lasting, demonstrable and transferable model ofcooperation and coordination between local labour and regenerationinitiatives, as well as responding effectively to the needs ofemployees and employers.

The pilot centred on two workplace coordinators, one employed byMACE Ltd and based at its More London site at London Bridge, thesecond employed by Bovis Lend Lease based at its Paddingtondevelopment. Following the success of the pilot scheme, theinitiative and partnership was expanded, using European Social FundEQUAL funding, with six site-based workplace coordinators based atmajor development sites in central London.

At the beginning of 2006 BLCF successfully bid for LDA ESFfunding for three workplace coordinators. Plans are to extend andrecruit 11 WPCs.

Our objectives

In collaboration with our partners and other interested parties, BLCF aims to improve lifelong learning, work practices, recruitment and retention for 'new' and 'at risk' construction employees in central London, while helping employers meet their recruitment needs in a sustained and targeted fashion.

In terms of potential employees, our key priority groupsare

• Ethnic minorities
• Lone parents and older workers
• People with low or no skills
• Previously long-term unemployed
• Recent returnees
• Women, in terms of potential employers

Our prime targets are

• Developers
• Sub-contractors
• Training agencies

BLCF December 2006 Outcomes

• Over 400 people into sustained employment
• Over 1,600 people accessed the programme
• Over 1,200 training courses undertaken
• Over 1,000 black and minority ethnic people participating
• Nearly 200 disadvantaged people into employment
• Nearly 100 women participating
• Over 650 young people assisted

Case study: Eve Gallagher

Eve is working as a painter/decorator for GSE DecoratingSpecialists. Before she knew about BLCF, she found it difficult asa woman to get into the construction industry. ?Even though I heardin the media that more women were coming into the industry, I foundit really hard to get into it and I was struggling, so it was a bigweight off my shoulders when I found the workplace coordinator andthis job. I was so frustrated and getting depressed because I washaving no luck whatsoever.?

?When I first started this job, it was the first properconstruction site I have been in, so it was a great experience forme, having to wear the helmet, gloves, and boots... it was good andI have gained a lot of knowledge.?

She says that BLCF and the workplace coordinator will supporther professional development, but ?although I am thinking aboutprogressing and going up the ladder, at the moment, I am enjoyinggetting my hands dirty and working with the lads.?

For more information on Building London Creating Futures,contact
Gordon Mole
tel: +44 20 525 5518
gordon.mole@southwark.gov.uk