Essex Youth Build

28/09/2026

🎙️ What a brilliant evening!

A huge thank you to City Sound Radio for welcoming Essex Youth Build onto the show tonight.

Our CEO Hayley and Karen Cole had the opportunity to talk about the work we do, the young people we support, the challenges we face, and—most importantly—the difference that the right opportunity, support and belief can make to a young person’s future. 💛

We are incredibly proud of Essex Youth Build and of every young person who walks through our doors. Our mission has always been about much more than construction skills—it is about confidence, qualifications, employability, belonging and giving young people the chance to build a future they can be proud of.

Thank you to everyone who tuned in, shared our story and continues to support us. Every conversation helps raise awareness of why provisions like ours matter so much.

If you would like to support Essex Youth Build, find out more about what we do, or help us continue supporting young people across Essex:

💛 GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/86f6378bf
🔗 Website & socials: https://linktr.ee/essexyouthbuild

And of course, we couldn’t go on the radio without a soundtrack… 🎶
Tubthumping • Don’t Stop Believin’ • The Only Way Is Up • I’m Still Standing • The Best

Quite fitting for Essex Youth Build, we think! 💪💛



https://www.mixcloud.com/CitySoundChelmsford/city-talking-with-paul-morrish-mon-28th-september-2026/?utm_medium=share&utm_source=clipboard&utm_content=show&utm_term=NWJjMmE5NGFfNDU3OF80NzI1X2E2MzFfMTdiYTExNWVjN2Jh

Listen to City Talking with Paul Morrish Mon 28th September 2026 by City Sound Chelmsford for free. Follow City Sound Chelmsford to never miss another show.

01/09/2026

☀️ That’s a wrap on our Summer Holiday Club 2026! 🔨💙

Last Wednesday marked the final day of our summer holiday club at Essex Youth Build, and what a brilliant way to finish!

It’s been fantastic welcoming young people through our doors over the summer, giving them the opportunity to get hands-on, learn new skills, build confidence and, most importantly, enjoy themselves. 🧱🪚🛠️

A huge thank you to Sensations, who we were delighted to collaborate with throughout the holiday club. 💙 It’s been fantastic working together to create these opportunities for local young people.

Thank you also to everyone who took part, all the families who supported the club, and our amazing team who helped make the sessions possible.

We hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we did — and perhaps we’ve inspired a few future tradespeople along the way! 👷‍♀️👷‍♂️

Until next time… 💙

YoungPeople BuildingConfidence LearningByDoing SkillsForLife Essex

19/08/2026

☀️ SUMMER HOLIDAY CLUB AT ESSEX YOUTH BUILD! 🔨🪚

We’ve loved opening our doors this August for our Summer Holiday Club, delivered in partnership with SEND Sensation. 💙

The sessions have been about so much more than construction. They’ve given young people the opportunity to get out of the house, try something new, learn practical skills, build confidence and spend time in an environment where they can simply be themselves.

For some young people with SEND and SEMH needs, accessing traditional clubs and activities isn’t always easy. That’s why inclusive opportunities like this matter.

From picking up tools and learning new skills to problem-solving, communicating and achieving something they can be proud of, every small success helps build confidence for the future.

A huge thank you to SEND Sensation for partnering with us and helping make these August sessions possible. 🙌

At Essex Youth Build, we believe every young person deserves somewhere they feel welcome, valued and capable.

🧰 Building skills.
💙 Building confidence.
🔨 Building futures.

https://gofund.me/da3adebaf

SEND Sensation - Essex Short Breaks: Clubs & Activities

SummerActivities YoungPeople Essex Chelmsford AlternativeEducation ConstructionSkills BuildingFutures

19/08/2026

📢 VOLUNTEERS WANTED – CAN YOU HELP SUPPORT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE?

Essex Youth Build is looking for confident, approachable and caring volunteers to support young people at our construction training centre in Chelmsford.

We work with young people, many of whom have struggled within mainstream education. This includes young people with SEND, SEMH needs, EHCPs, anxiety, school avoidance, those who are NEET, and young people who may have experienced difficult circumstances in their lives.
For many, a traditional classroom simply hasn't worked. At Essex Youth Build, we believe every young person deserves a voice, the chance to be heard and the opportunity to succeed.

Our industry-trained tutors need to be able to focus on teaching practical construction skills to the young people who are ready to engage and learn. At times, other young people may struggle to engage, become distracted, need some time away from the workshop or simply need someone to talk to.
That's where you could make a difference.

We're looking for volunteers who can be an additional positive adult presence around our centre — spending time with young people, listening to them, keeping an eye on those who may not be engaging, encouraging them back into learning when they're ready and helping us maintain a calm, safe and supportive environment.

This gives our tutors the space to concentrate on sharing their trade knowledge and teaching, while ensuring that a young person who isn't ready to learn at that moment isn't simply forgotten.
No previous experience is necessary.

We're not looking for qualifications or a particular career background. We're looking for people who have patience, empathy and, most importantly, a genuine passion for giving young people a voice and a chance to be heard.
Sometimes a young person doesn't need another person telling them what to do. They need someone willing to listen, understand and believe that they are capable of more..

📍 Chelmsford, Essex
📅 Tuesday, Wednesday and/or Thursday
🕘 Term-time, daytime volunteering

Full induction and support will be provided. Safeguarding is central to everything we do, and appropriate safer recruitment and DBS checks will apply.

Whether you can give us one regular day a week or more, we'd love to hear from you.

Interested? Please message Essex Youth Build through LinkedIn.

12/08/2026

A transformation journey.

Sometimes a young person walks through our doors and their story never leaves you.

At 17, one young person arrived at Essex Youth Build carrying more than any child should ever have had to carry.

Their childhood had been shaped by trauma, abuse, neglect and instability.
Thankfully, they were eventually given the love and stability of a family who believed there could be more for them.

And then they found Essex Youth Build.

When they first came to us, they did not speak.
They struggled to make eye contact.
They had very little confidence and carried the weight of their past silently.
There was something in their eyes we will never forget.
Eyes that once appeared almost black with everything they had endured slowly began to change.

Over time, they developed a colour we can only describe as hope.
We couldn't change what had happened to them.
But we could help change what happened next.

We showed up. Again and again.
We gave them time. We didn't pressure them to speak. We found other ways to communicate. We celebrated every small step, taught them practical skills and helped them achieve qualifications.

But most importantly, we believed in them.
Slowly, their head began to lift.
A smile appeared.
Confidence grew.
And they began to find their voice.

Then came their final day.
The young person who had walked through our doors without speaking stood in front of our staff.
And they spoke.
Just two words.
“Thank you.”

Those two words meant more to us than we could ever put into a report or measure with a qualification.

They meant I felt safe here.
You gave me time.
You didn't give up on me.
You believed in me.
That is why Essex Youth Build exists.

Yes, we teach construction and help young people gain qualifications and skills for employment.

But sometimes what we help rebuild has nothing to do with bricks or timber.
Sometimes, we help rebuild hope.

Right now, we are fighting to make sure we can continue doing that.
If you can give £5, £10, £20 or whatever you can afford to our GoFundMe, please do. If you can't donate, please share this post.

Because somewhere in Essex there is another young person who hasn't found us yet.

They deserve the chance to.
The next generation matters.
Their voices matter.
Their futures matter.
Please help us make sure Essex Youth Build is still here when the next young person needs us. ⚒️

👉 Donate to or share our GoFundMe today.
https://gofund.me/13e0e7099

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

10/08/2026

CASE STUDY: More Than a Qualification – Building a Future Through Essex Youth Build.

For many of the young people who come through the doors of Essex Youth Build, mainstream education has not worked for them.

Some have experienced significant barriers to learning, poor attendance, anxiety, SEND or SEMH needs. Others have simply lost confidence in education and, in some cases, in themselves.

At Essex Youth Build, the starting point is different.
We begin by building relationships, listening to the young person and finding out what interests them. Practical construction training provides a reason to re-engage and gives them the opportunity to experience success in an environment where they feel valued.

One young person joined Essex Youth Build after being home educated and initially attended our Trade Club. They later progressed onto our NEET training programme and worked towards recognised City & Guilds construction qualifications.

With consistent encouragement, practical teaching and individual support, they went on to achieve:

• City & Guilds Level 1 Diploma in Construction Skills
• City & Guilds Level 1 qualification in Bricklaying
• Level 1 Health & Safety in a Construction Environment
• CSCS Green Card
• Functional Skills Level 2 English
• First Aid training

But the qualifications only tell part of the story.

Alongside their vocational skills, we watched their confidence grow. They became more independent, developed workplace skills and began to see construction not simply as something they enjoyed, but as a genuine career.
They later volunteered with Essex Youth Build to broaden their skills and experience before becoming a valued member of the team.

Their ambition now is to secure a carpentry or joinery apprenticeship, become fully qualified and, one day, run their own business.
This is why Essex Youth Build exists.

We help young people gain recognised qualifications, but we also give them something equally important: adults who believe in them, a team they belong to, and the opportunity to discover what they are capable of.
The next step is where the construction industry can make an enormous difference.

Work experience, site visits, mentoring, apprenticeships and that first opportunity from an employer can turn qualifications into careers.
The next generation matters.

They deserve the chance of a future – and with the support of the construction industry, we can help them build one.

If you are a contractor, developer or construction business that could offer work experience, mentoring, site visits or employment opportunities to Essex Youth Build young people, we would love to hear from you.



https://gofund.me/794bf1faa

10/08/2026

A message from our CEO, filmed at the Constructing Excellence Summer Social on Thursday the 6th of August. ⚒️

This message from our CEO, filmed at the Constructing Excellence Summer Social, comes from the heart.

At Essex Youth Build, we see every day what can happen when a young person is given a chance.

A chance to learn.
A chance to belong.
A chance to build confidence.
A chance to discover a career and a future they may never have believed was possible.

But we cannot continue doing this alone.

We need the construction industry, local businesses and our wider community to stand with us.

Support can come in many forms — funding, materials, work experience, employment opportunities, introductions, partnerships or simply sharing our story.

Every bit of support helps us keep the door open for the next young person who needs us.

The construction industry needs its next generation.

And the next generation need us to believe they are worth investing in.

They matter.
Their futures matter.
And they deserve the chance to build one. ⚒️

Please support Essex Youth Build in any way you can.



https://gofund.me/da3adebaf

10/08/2026

Have you booked your young person's place yet?

Our Construction Holiday Club is a fantastic opportunity for young people to get hands-on, learn new practical skills, build confidence, make friends and discover what they're capable of in a fun and supportive environment.

⏰ Places are limited, so don't miss out!

To book a place or find out more, get in touch with Essex Youth Build today.

Because every young person deserves the chance to discover their potential. 💙🧡

Essex Youth Build Holiday Trades Club – August SessionsAt Essex Youth Build, we provide a safe, supportive and engaging environment where children can learn…

10/08/2026

For those who do not have a SEND Sensation - Essex Short Breaks: Clubs & Activities passport.

Our Construction Holiday Club is a fantastic opportunity for young people to get hands-on, learn new practical skills, build confidence, make friends and discover what they're capable of in a fun and supportive environment.

⏰ Places are limited, so don't miss out!

To book a place or find out more, get in touch with Essex Youth Build today.

Because every young person deserves the chance to discover their potential. 💙🧡

Essex Youth Build Holiday Trades Club – August SessionsAt Essex Youth Build, we provide a safe, supportive and engaging environment where children can learn…