We are pleased that two apprentices have now gained full time employment as a result of Action for Children’s Youthbuild Project. The pair worked as a labourer and apprentice electrician on our Kirkliston Primary School which was opened recently by the Lord Provost, and were invited along as guests of honour.

Jacob Gallagher now works for Hadden Construction and Ryan Finnie works with Ingen Technical Services (Formerly Dalziel Mechanical services) who are the M&E subcontractors. Both are aged 20 and have become firm friends as a result of working together.

Youthbuild is a construction training project specifically designed and tailored for young people who are already in touch with statutory services, such as social work, criminal justice or formal care settings and those who are at risk of requiring intensive support.

The project is designed for young people aged 16-24 who are unemployed and who may have other issues restricting their ability to access the jobs market. Poor educational attainment and disadvantage are often exacerbated by problems of drug and alcohol misuse and criminal convictions.

Stephen Lynas, Business Development Director commented: \"We are extremely pleased that through our Community Benefit Scheme on this project that we have been able to bring through both Jacob & Ryan into full time employment. The Action for Children Youthbuild programme is a fantastic initiative that we are proud to support.\"

The young people with whom Youthbuild work are likely to have chaotic lifestyles and face multiple challenges; this will include frequent change of address and unreliable support networks. Many will have had experience of Local Authority Care or custody. The project is unique, in terms of the integrated emphasis on both addressing labour market skills deficit and tackling social issues.

The project addresses offending behaviour and offers an alternative to custody programme which attempts to re-integrate young people to their community and improve their economic potential. The key elements of the project focus on induction and preparation, work experience, relevant training, personal support, and core skills and development. The programme delivers 150 opportunities within 7 locations in Scotland.