We were appointed to the SCAPE regional construction framework in August 2022, since our appointment we have generated £3.3m of social value across our SCAPE projects.
The SCAPE benchmarking report “Building on the foundations: Social Value In Construction 2022” pointed out that when recording social value using the Social Value Portal’s TOM system “most projects use between 2-4 measures, suggesting that the range of measures used is generally quite limited and that typically only 1-2 social measures are likely to be used”.
At Stepnell during 2023, we have generated social value on our SCAPE projects from 12 different SVP TOM measures across three themes: jobs, growth and social. This variety ensures that the communities in which we live and work benefit widely from our presence, not just from good quality construction.
94% of our social value was generated through spending almost £3.4m in the local economy with subcontractors and supply chain partners who are located within 20 miles of the projects. We also used three social enterprises – Ethical Superstore, Community Wood Recycling and Nuneaton Signs and engaged with a fourth to help them understand social value in construction.
A further 4% was through employing local people. With the CITB reporting that 67% of UK construction workers travel more than 21 miles to work, local employment not only benefits our employees but also the environment.
Our investment in our people and our emerging talent made up 1% of the social value. As an Investor in People Gold award holder, we take on new apprentices each year as well as upskilling our existing employees through HNC, university and other professional qualifications.
Our donations-in-kind totalled over £4,000 and included a piece of artwork, and a cake and decorations for the opening ceremony of the waiting area and landscaped courtyard for Kettering General Hospital’s breast cancer unit. We helped set up the baby bank for Kettering Community Unit Charity.
Last but by no means least is our impact on the wider community through direct contact with schools and colleges.
- Almost 800 young people have seen us at a careers fair at their school
- Over 700 primary school children enjoyed our Stay Safe assembly to learn about safety around building sites; 15 of the posters they created afterwards to inform other children were displayed on their school fences.
- 250 young people have taken part in workshops at our office or in their school where we have introduced them to pathways into construction and challenged them with a team tower building task where they can demonstrate their leadership, teamwork, design, planning and problem solving skills.
- 20 students from 2 SEND schools and 9 from an alternative education provider have visited our office
- 34 young people have had mock interviews
- 50 students have benefited from a 2-hour CV workshop at their school
- 30 young people took part in a Dragon’s Den Style Enterprise Day
- 14 of our people, including 3 apprentices, have taken part in educating young people about careers in construction
Some highlights from these impressive figures include:
Derby Moor Academy held a mock interviews day for their Y11 students. Twelve were interviewed by us over the course of the day. There were some very impressive students in the group.
We helped Year 10 students at Belper School and Y12 students at Landau Forte College have their first experience of interviews, providing feedback to help them improve.
As the end of the academic year approached, there was a flurry of activities in local schools with careers fairs at Littleover Community School and West Park School, Spondon.
Working with the DWP
During the summer holidays the work didn’t stop. We partnered with the DWP Youth Hub in Chesterfield to help three young people aged 16-25yo who are Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) to find out how to prepare themselves better for work, through personal branding, deeper understanding of the recruitment process and interview questions.
We have done three “site safety” assemblies in primary schools we are working on through our SCAPE projects, the Derby City Schools Capital Works Programme. The children enjoyed dressing up in hi-viz, hard hats, goggles and ear defenders. We launched a site safety poster competition in each school.
The winning site safety posters from pupils were enlarged and printed onto correx board. We hung them on the school fences so everyone walking along the busy pathways can see their fabulous artwork.
At Anthony Gell School, apprentice joiner Dale Martin spoke to six groups of Y10 students about his career journey, the work we were doing on the school roof, the traditional joinery techniques he is learning and has to demonstrate for his apprenticeship. Two groups managed to build the highest Lego towers we have ever seen, topping over two metres!
Stepnell Office Workshops
City of Derby Academy visited our Nottingham office with a second set of students who are working towards their Construction GCSE. The workshop was led by assistant estimator Luke Walsh, with aftercare manager Shaun Moses and IT systems analyst Divyesh Valend taking part in the speed networking. On the way back to school, the students visited Nuclear AMRC at Infinity Park and were given a site tour by site manager Matt King.
Luke Walsh visited Landau College in Derby for an Enterprise Day, a dragon’s den style activity which saw the students set up an imaginary company. They had to think about what they would sell and how, including marketing and finance, and put together a presentation. There were some impressive ideas, including the winners whose company was based on sales of collars for pets so owners can see where they are going.
Support for VCSEs
Social value manager Sue Woollett visited Upbeat Cleaning in Derby, a local social enterprise which helps women refugees into work through cleaning for local businesses. The meeting helped Michael Gladwell, founder of the social enterprise understand how he could use businesses’ social value commitments to encourage them to use the services Upbeat Cleaning offers.
We supported Kettering Community Unit Charity who provide training, education and support to improve the lives of people in the Kettering community. Our team helped collect, donate and create a baby bank area, which adds to their already impressive portfolio of amazing work.
Horizons Sixth Form
In the centre of Derby is a unique and very special place, Horizons Sixth Form. Not an ordinary school or college, Horizons helps students with special educational needs and disabilities towards realising their potential. Alongside developing skills in independent living and day to day finance, the students gain work experience in a printing business and learn to be baristas. Sue Woollett visited Horizons to find out more, and to invite the students to join us for a workplace experience, in line with our social value commitments to Derby City Council.