Minutes:
Sue Shaw, Manager at Barnsley Community Build (BCB), attended the meeting and delivered a presentation on the BCB Apprenticeship Programme.
The presentation gave details of:
· How BCB Trading Ltd was first established in 2001 with the support of Barnsley MBC and the Coalfield Regeneration Trust to devise a programme to support unemployed miners to be retrained with a different trade and support them back into employment.
· An overview of its apprenticeship programme, which provides opportunities for young people from hard-to-reach backgrounds, who may have come from families with a history of being benefit dependant, been excluded from full time education and are unable to take up a normal apprenticeship with a mainstream college, but could be offered a traineeship that would lead the successful candidate onto an apprenticeship programme with BCB.
· How BCB works in partnership with other educational institutes in the delivery of the apprenticeship programme to offer a full framework qualification to any young person on the programme.
· BCB’s working environment, noting that BCB employs the trainees while on the programme with the same contractual rules that they offer their full-time employees.
· An overview of the work undertaken by the BCB teams in conservational areas to ensure that they a more environmentally friendly, safer and cleaner for all the community.
· The training provided to staff, noting that all staff receive the same training in order that BCB could use its pool of Construction staff to support the Environmental Teams. This helped to alleviate any seasonal issues in the delivery of the programme.
· The additional support provided by BCB and its Environmental Team at local events. For example, attendance at Christmas fayres, monthly litter picks, collection of waste bags and collection of volunteer waste bags.
In summary, Members noted the following key points:
· Each year BCB offers 24 trainee places with the opportunity of joining the apprenticeship programme on completion. Their work with the Environmental teams gives them a working knowledge of what activities are taking place within their communities and the chance to become more involved in local issues.
· Successful candidates on completing both the traineeship and apprenticeship may be offered the opportunity to join the BCB family.
· Throughout the length of the current contract, 5 apprentices have been offered permanent positions. 2 with the Construction teams and 3 with the Environmental teams.
· 84%+ of all the young people having taken part in both these opportunities have gone on to find permanent work.
Arising from the above, Members asked the following questions:
· Due to the current cost of living crisis and increased costs associated with travel, it was felt important that BCB recruited apprentices from the North East area to provide them with opportunities to progress.
· In response, it was confirmed that BCB did preliminary try to recruit apprentices from the Barnsley area. BCB had tried previously to recruit apprentices from other areas, but they had experienced problems if apprentices lived outside of Barnsley with regards to travel, arriving late and requesting concessions. The most recent recruits were from Birdwell, Grimethorpe and from the Central Area.
· There was a discussion if BCB provided any opportunities for young people who struggle in mainstream schools. In response, it was confirmed that BCB did not discriminate against any individual; everyone was welcomed and deserved a chance. If they had a learning plan etc., then BCB would support them, nurture them and work with them to achieve their full potential.
Members of the Area Council thanked BCB for the fantastic work they carry out in the local areas to keep the local villages clean and tidy.
RESOLVED that Sue Shaw be thanked for her presentation, for attending the meeting and for answering Members questions.