A group of young people from Dagenham, including students with special educational needs and disabilities, have gained hands-on experience in construction by taking part in the refurbishment of Future Youth Zone. The refurbishment work has been undertaken thanks to a £30,000 investment from award-winning housebuilder The Hill Group and not-for-profit housing association Peabody, the joint venture partnership delivering the first phase of the Dagenham Green development.

Twelve students took part in the project through Barking and Dagenham Council's Skills Builder Programme, which offers young people aged 16–18 valuable experience in the construction industry. Over two weeks, the trainees worked alongside skilled professionals from Hill, to refresh parts of the youth centre, which has welcomed more than 17,000 young people since opening six years ago.

Cllr Elizabeth Kangethe and David Harley, Director for Inclusive Growth of Barking and Dagenham Council, recently visited Future Youth Zone with Hill and Peabody to see the refurbishment in progress and meet the students involved. David praised the Skills Builder initiative, which provides practical skills across multiple trades, insight into a range of construction careers and work experience in a range of community-focused projects. After successfully completing the programme, the trainees will be offered a route into apprenticeships and employment with ongoing support from the council's B&D Works jobs service.

Operating as an independent charity, Future Youth Zone is open every day of the year to young people aged 8–19, and up to 25 for those with disabilities or learning difficulties. With its ethos of “somewhere to go, something to do and someone to talk to”, the youth club provides a safe and inspiring space where young people can try new activities, meet friends, and raise their aspirations.

Gershom Clarke, CEO, Future Youth Zone, said: “We are hugely grateful to The Hill Group, Peabody, their contractors and the young people on the Skills Builder programme for their hard work at Future Youth Zone. Since opening six years ago, more than 17,000 young people have come through our doors to find somewhere to go, something to do and someone to talk to in a space that is safe and inspiring to spend their free time. Naturally, some parts of the building were beginning to show wear and tear. We believe young people deserve the very best, so to have a team of skilled professionals dedicate their time and expertise to refreshing the Youth Zone has been incredible. It's also inspiring to see Skills Builder participants, including our own members, gaining valuable work experience in the process. Thank you to everyone who helped make this transformation possible.”

Cllr Elizabeth Kangethe, Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment and School Improvement, said: “Skills Builder is a fantastic programme which is much needed in Barking and Dagenham. I'm really pleased to see Hill and Peabody supporting the students and Future Youth Zone with the construction work.”

Cole, a student on the Skills Builder initiative, commented: “It was a humbling experience that gave me a real appreciation for the skill, precision and hard work that goes into the trades, and how essential they are to the projects that I will hopefully survey in the future.”

The £30,000 investment by Hill and Peabody to fund the works at Future Youth Zone comes as the joint venture partners move forward with the first phase of Dagenham Green, which will include new homes – where the first resident will soon move in – and a new public park. Dagenham Green  is a major new mixed-use neighbourhood for East London. Phase one and future phases will deliver about 3,500 homes half of which will be affordable. There will also be 10 acres of green space, a secondary school, medical centre, shops, cafés and other community amenities, located on the site of the former Ford factory, next to Dagenham Dock station.

Paul Ansell, Project Director at The Hill Group, said: “We are committed to investing in the communities where we are building. This partnership with the council and Future Youth Zone is a perfect example of how we can support local young people to develop new skills while making a real difference in their community.”

Cecile Bouchet, Economic Inclusion Lead for North-East London at Peabody, said: “Seeing young people get such valuable hands-on experience while helping to improve a well-used local facility has been fantastic. But just as importantly, programmes like Skills Builder are helping to equip the next generation with the skills our industry urgently needs to deliver the thousands of homes needed across London. Construction skills are vital for the future – not only to meet the demand for new homes and to maintain existing ones, but to ensure local people can access the opportunities that regeneration brings. Supporting this initiative alongside Hill is an important part of our long-term investment in Dagenham Green and the wider community.”

For further information about Dagenham Green, visit www.dagenhamgreen.co.uk

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For further media information, please contact Zoe Murzell at The Oracle Group PR Agency: hillsales@oraclepr.co.uk / Tel: 020 8394 2821

 About The Hill Group

The Hill Group is a top 10 housebuilder* and one of the leading developers in London, the home counties, and the South. The company is renowned for its partnership ethos, specialising in the building of distinctive new places and communities where people want to live, work, and socialise.

In its 26th year, this family-run company has grown to establish itself as the UK's second-largest privately-owned housebuilder, with an impressive and diverse portfolio of projects ranging from landmark, mixed-use regenerations, and inner-city apartment developments to homes in rural communities. 

Employing over 950 people, the company operates from five strategically located regional offices including Bristol and Abingdon to help facilitate growth in the South West and the Midlands, with its head office based in Waltham Abbey, Essex. 

Hill completed more than 2,800 homes in the last financial year and has a development pipeline of over 32,000 homes, including 10,200 with planning consent. Around half of its portfolio is in joint ventures to deliver a range of mixed-tenure developments, reflecting Hill's commitment to partnerships with government, local authorities, housing associations, and private clients. 

Since the company was founded in 1999, Hill has won over 500 industry awards, including the esteemed title of WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year in 2015, 2020 and 2023. Most recently in 2024, Millside Grange in Croxley Green won The Standard's Homes & Property Award for Best Commuter Home.

Hill's dedication to delivering the highest quality homes and exceptional customer service has earned the housebuilder its 5-star status in the Home Builders Federation's annual Customer Satisfaction Survey for the past eight years. Hill is a registered developer with the New Homes Quality Board (NHQB) and follows the New Homes Quality Code (NHQC), a new industry standard to ensure high-quality homes and an exceptional customer experience. With a score of 4.8 out of 5, Hill is also ranked as the number one housebuilder on Trustpilot.

In addition, Hill is donating 200 fully equipped modular homes to local authorities and homeless charities as part of a £15 million pledge through its Foundation 200 programme, launched in 2019 to mark Hill's 20th anniversary.

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For more information, contact The Oracle Group PR Agency on Tel: 020 8394 2821 or hill@oraclepr.co.uk

*The Hill Group was listed within the top 10 of the Top 150 UK Contractors and Housebuilders published by Building.co.uk in December 2024

ABOUT PEABODY

Peabody is one of the UK's oldest and largest not-for-profit housing associations, founded by philanthropist George Peabody in 1862 to help Londoners in need. Today we take a local approach, working with residents and communities to strengthen our 140 neighbourhoods, provide quality homes and deliver a range of services to support people when they need it most.

We look after 109,000 homes and 220,000 residents across London and the home counties, plus the community centres, play areas, and green spaces that bring these areas to life. Our job is to provide residents with reliable landlord services and keep these places well-maintained.  We also provide care and support services to around 25,000 customers including specialist accommodation and vital support for people affected by a range of social and health issues.

We're focused on listening to residents so we can deliver better services and better homes and places. Our local teams work closely with residents, councils and partners to tackle inequality, improve wellbeing and strengthen communities. Alongside this, we're committed to play our part where we can in building more affordable homes which our communities need.

With an average rent of £147 a week, we offer real value, and our homes remain significantly more affordable than the market. In 2024–25, we spent £431 million in maintaining and improving residents' homes.

Find out more: https://www.peabodynewhomes.co.uk/about-us/

@PeabodyNewHomes

PeabodyNewHomes.co.uk