Overview

The Accent Group is a community investment business that works across health, housing, education and regeneration. It set up Accent Community Partnerships to deliver community regeneration projects, helping disadvantaged communities to help themselves through training, employment and capacity building.

The Partnerships' range of training and support programmes areenabling local people from ethnic minority and disadvantagedcommunities to meet the needs of local employers.

In 2002 Accent realised that although a significant amount of money was being spent on regeneration in Bradford, the companies and contractors doing the work were being brought in from outside the area. Despite Bradford having one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, the city's workforce lacked the necessary construction, management and administration skills.

To tackle this problem, Accent joined forces with the council, local college, employers and funders to help local people develop the skills needed to meet local demands. Its Youthbuild programme, for example, helps young people from ethnic minority groups into careers in construction, while the Women into Construction and Finance & Business programmes are tailored to the needs of women, especially those from ethnic minorities.

Participants are given a mentor who looks after them from the beginning of the course, through their training and into the first year in employment. As well as learning the skills needed for a career in construction, participants also acquire valuable communication, team working and time management skills.

» Background

Background

High unemployment

Bradford had one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, at 17 per cent compared to a national average of 5 per cent. Unemployment in the black and minority ethnic population was three and a half times that of the white population. At the same time, the local workforce wasn't able to supply the construction skills that employers needed, forcing them to bring in people from outside of the area. Within Yorkshire, only 1.7 per cent of the construction workforce is black or Asian.

Trainees on the Youthbuild programme

Perceptions of the construction industry

When it looked into the reasons behind the skills shortage, Accent Community Partnerships found that construction was not perceived as a good career choice by many Asian families. As a result, young Asians often failed to consider a career in construction and those that did sometimes struggled through a lack of support and encouragement.

The approach taken by Accent Community Partnerships was to identify the issues behind the skills shortage and design training programmes to tackle them. The main group they wanted to reach was young people from ethnic minorities, particularly individuals outside of the mainstream education system and at risk of committing criminal offences. Another priority was women, especially those from ethnic minorities.

In addition to funding from Accent, the project is financially supported from organisations including the Learning and Skills Council, the European Social Fund, the Construction Industry Training Board and Fair Cities.

» The Impact

Overview «

The Impact

Gaining qualifications

More than 1,200 young people have been trained through the Youthbuild programme since it was established in 2003 and more than 80 per cent of participants achieve a qualification – a result that is considerably higher than the national average for such programmes. As a result of this success Accent is now also delivering training programmes on behalf of Bradford College.

More than 150 women have taken part in programmes to develop new skills in construction and business management through Accent's Women into Construction and Womenbuild schemes.

Baroness Uddin visits a Women into Construction training session

Ehjaz Gull, Director of Regeneration at Accent Group, said: “Our unique selling point is the mentors and our ability to engage and work with disadvantaged groups. Other training providers find it hard to do this but we've got a strong track record of getting people from ethnic minorities and women into construction.”

Entering employment

As well as working towards qualifications, individuals taking part in the programme are encouraged to think about their future career aspirations. Youthbuild participant Dawood Hussain said: “Once I have my qualifications as a joiner I am hoping to open my own business with the help of Youthbuild.”

Around 70 local employers are involved in Accent Community Partnerships' programmes, including Yorkshire Building Society, Abbey, Lloyd's TSB and construction companies Lovells, Wates and Bullocks. Lovells now finds all of its new employees through Accent projects. Sharon Tryer of Lovells commented: “Because of these projects we can now recruit local people, which is one of the big, key issues for us.”

A number of evaluations have endorsed the programme, with one stating: “it has already contributed to introducing ethnic diversity to an almost wholly white Yorkshire construction industry.”

» Good Practice

Background «

Good Practice

What can be learned from this project?

• Mentors and project managers are involved in ongoing community engagement activity, visiting schools and community centres to talk about the project, gather feedback and identify individuals who could be helped. Recruitment for training programmes is carried out through word of mouth and direct engagement with the community, rather than through traditional forms of advertising in newspapers or in Jobcentres.

• Mentors are recruited from the local community and participants are always paired with a mentor who understands the cultural and social pressures that they face. Some programme participants have gone on to become mentors. The mentoring relationship continues after the initial period of training, with the mentor helping the trainee to settle into employment and ensuring that the expectations of both the trainee and the employer are being met.

• The Youthbuild project acquired council properties that were hard to let and used the trainees to make improvements to the properties. Rental income from the properties was then used to fund further training programmes.

Successful trainees at work

• Accent's model for local skills development can be applied in different markets and in different parts of the country. Accent is working with partners in Burnley, Stockton and London to implement programmes to address skills issues within other communities and the National Housing Federation and the Learning and Skills Council have funded Accent to disseminate best practice across the Yorkshire and Humber region.

» Reference

The Impact «

Reference

Contact details

Ian Campbell
Marketing Manager
01274 535514
Email: ian.campbell@accentgroup.org

Accent Group
Butterfield House
Otley Road
Baildon
Shipley
West Yorkshire
BD17 7HF

External links

Accent Community Partnerships

Good Practice «