Welcome to Liverpool Habitat for Humanity!

STUDENTS BUILD TOWARDS THEIR FUTURE

FORTY students have ‘graduated' from a unique training course, having laid the foundations for a successful future career in construction.

Under the ‘Learn for Life' programme, the trainees have achieved industry-recognised qualifications while gaining ‘on the job' experience at Liverpool Habitat for Humanity's (LHFH) site in Granby-Toxteth, where the charity is building 32 low-cost homes.

They received their certificates on Friday (July 23rd) from Liverpool Riverside MP Louise Ellman, watched by friends, colleagues, staff, trustees and supporters of the housing charity.

The training programme is aimed at those who have traditionally not taken up learning opportunities and the long-term unemployed, with the goal of enabling learners to develop confidence in a wide range of skills and progress into further education or employment.

Twenty-five students gained a ‘construction skills certification scheme (CSCS) card' and a further 16 were awarded an accredited ‘level 1 construction site and craft skills diploma' from the Open College Network. In addition, 13 people attended joinery ‘taster' sessions to kick start their learning.

One student who has benefited from the project is Cliff Roberts, 37, from Crosby. Since quitting work as a tiler seven years ago to bring up his son Jake, now seven, on his own, Cliff had lost much of his self confidence and was looking for a boost to get him back into work. He enrolled on a course in presentation skills and, following one class, learned of LHFH's link to the ‘Learn for Life' programme.

He explained: "I was still interested in tiling and I discovered the six-week course offered by LHFH also enabled me to develop skills in bricklaying and joinery.

"Since completing the diploma I've got a lot of more confidence in myself. It was really enjoyable working on site and I was made to feel very welcome."

Dad of two Cliff, who now lives with his partner Denise Colbert, son Jake, and the family's newest addition, three-month old Zack, graduated with a ‘level 1 construction site and craft skills diploma' and also gained his CSCS card.

He added: "With my new qualifications and confidence, I should find it much easier to find a job in construction."

Approved by the Open College Network and supported financially by the Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities (NLDC) Fund, LHFH has run three 12-week diploma courses over the last year and four three-day ‘taster' courses from February to June.

The housing charity is building 32 low-cost homes off Kingsley Road using volunteer labour and donations of land, material and money. Each home owner is required to contribute a minimum of 500 hours of their own labour - called "sweat equity" - into the building process

In exchange, LHFH offers £10,000 towards the deposit required to obtain a mortgage. The houses are sold to the families on a shared equity basis and, after one year, home owners can gradually increase their ownership to 100%.

Working alongside volunteers and homeowners on site and in a specially created training workshop, the students undertook a variety of tasks, including installing kitchens and skirting, fitting architrave and hanging doors.

Construction training manager for LHFH, Wendy Heller, is hoping to secure NLDC funding for the training courses for another year.

She said: "Our graduates have all done an incredible job and should feel very proud of their achievements. Not only have they gained new skills to take with them into the work place, they have helped build homes for people on low incomes, who may not have otherwise been able to afford a property of their own.

"Their hard work has now paid off and I wish them all the success in the world for their future careers."

For further information about Liverpool Habitat for Humanity, including opportunities to volunteer, how to apply for a home or eligibility for the Learn for Life training scheme, call 0151 707 9440 or visit www.liverpoolhfh.org.uk.