Sanctuary is building a 60-bed care home, a 60-unit extra care scheme and a mix of 40 close care apartments and bungalows at the £22m Sanctuary Grove site with its construction partner Stepnell, and from the outset, the partners pledged to offer employment and training opportunities to local people at the development.
The site is one of Sanctuary Group’s National Skills Academy for Construction accredited developments, and in addition to two local students who have just completed work experience placements and three young apprentices learning a new trade at Sanctuary Grove, the Group has now joined up with Stepnell, Jobcentre Plus and Worcester College of Technology to set up a sector-based work academy (sbwa) at the site.
The sbwa is an initiative set up by the Department of Work and Pensions to help people who are out of work develop new skills by combining formal learning, a work experience placement lasting a number of weeks and a guaranteed interview or help to apply for vacancies in the sector.