Charities that help young people and those looking to reskill find opportunities for education and employment. 

Built Environment Schools Trust 

Programmes: School visits/school programme delivered by teachers

Overview: We run a free school programme called My Environment My Future. We also run GCSE and A-level school programmes connecting the core geography syllabus to careers within the built environment through presentations, worksheets and lesson plans. We deliver a national school competition for ages 11-18 to redesign a local building or space, focusing on sustainability. These reach over 300 schools across the UK and we promote our programmes through social media, career events, and partnering with employers.

Target Age: 11-18 years old 

Quote: “The My Environment My Future (MEMF) competition was not only great for getting creative, and working as a team to build a project and deliver a proposal to qualified surveyors, but it also introduced us to a whole new set of potential career paths. As a result I am particularly interested in becoming a Surveyor.” 

Programmes: careers advice, mentoring, workshops 

Overview: Construction Youth Trust’s mission is to inspire and enable young people to overcome barriers and achieve their full career potential. We do this by connecting young people with employers and opportunities in the construction and built environment sector. Social mobility is at the heart of our work, and we prioritise working with young people from low-income backgrounds, underrepresented groups and/or those who are facing significant barriers to employment. We help young people to recognise their potential, develop their confidence and skills and discover opportunities never previously presented to them. 

Overview: Our vision is for all young people to have access to the opportunities they need to achieve their potential, realise their ambitions and build fulfilling careers and lives. We believe that preparing young people for the future is as important as ever and partnerships and collaboration are crucial to making long lasting impact. Working together with businesses, education providers, local and central government and other funders, we support over 30,000 young people every year across London and beyond. 

Programmes: Funding, mentoring 

Overview: The London Neighbourhood Scholarship Trust is a registered charity. Our vision is to promote a more socially aware and diverse built environment in London through investment in architectural education. We directly tackle the architecture profession’s lack of diversity by awarding architecture scholarships to disadvantaged young people from London’s neighbourhoods, providing the financial means and support for these aspiring architects to successfully perform on a level playing field with their peers. 

The Land Collective 

Programmes: work experience, school visits, workshops
 

Overview: In partnership with employers (who fund our work), we design and deliver employability programmes and events based not just on entry into the built environment but on building soft skills and commercial awareness about the industry. We have a thriving membership and community, which is how we communicate with our young people. We run a number of programmes through our organisation. Our most notable being ESG Launchpad (aimed at university students from lower socio-economic backgrounds - eight weeks long, blended) and our Black Girls in Property programme (aimed at girls of Black heritage, based in London and in Year 1 - five days long, in-person). These programmes are sponsored by employers and feature immersive sessions where participants can get trained on key topics happening across the sector and connect with professionals. All programmes have a follow-up activity or touch point at 3, 6 and 9 months to keep the engagement going. We promote our programmes through social media, word of mouth and targeted outreach. 

Target Age: 16-21 years old 

Quote: “The week was a well-balanced combination of enjoyable activities and informative sessions, each complementing the other seamlessly. From interactive exercises such as crafting bridges out of simple materials to in-depth discussions on crucial industry topics, every moment was engaging and enlightening. What stood out most was the program's commitment to accessibility and follow-up support; we were provided with the necessary tools and resources to continue our learning journey long after the program concluded. Through Black Girls in Property, I have had the opportunity to broaden my interest in the real estate sector. While my initial aspiration was to pursue a career as an estate agent, I have become increasingly intrigued by other aspects of the industry, particularly debt brokerage. In light of this, I am considering apprenticeships as a means to gain hands-on experience and further my knowledge.” 17 Years Old, Programme Participant (Black Girls in Property.