Winner: Homeworks Garden and Home Improvement Service, PM Training

PM Training, part of the housing association Aspire Housing is a social enterprise based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. It provides facilities management services to residents of Stoke-on-Trent City Council through its ‘Homeworks’ division.

The Homeworks programme seeks to ‘blend commercial expertise and first-class training to deliver home and community improvements with social outcomes for people and businesses’. A structured training programme is designed for young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) having left school with few or no qualifications. It provides a stepping stone for young people to progress from school into a job role through facilities management work experience, and is aligned to apprenticeship standards.

As a social enterprise, PM Training’s work with Stoke-on-Trent City Council supports the latter’s aim of preparing young people for adulthood and improving their skills and employability.

The collaboration has resulted in more than 492 young people aged 16-18 progressing into sustained employment in the city as a result of learning new trade skills.

Students work with trade supervisors and tutors to provide services ranging from grounds maintenance, painting and decorating, carpeting and aids and adaptations, all carried out for vulnerable residents. This work affords young people early experience of the facilities management sector while gaining valuable behavioural skills.

PM Training uses the SROI (Social Return on Investment) and HACT (Housing Associations’ Charitable Trust) social impact models to show the added value that the Homeworks programme delivers. For every £1 invested, £7.80 of social value is created in communities across North Staffordshire.

Winning the tender to provide for Stoke-on-Trent Council came through the latter’s assessment of its ‘exemplary’ social value response having clearly set out what the long-term benefits would be to both the young people and the City more generally.

PM Training sees further opportunities to expand Homeworks across the Aspire group to incorporate other facilities management services from housing repairs and maintenance to asset management and compliance, as well as soft facilities management services, all with the aim of allowing more people to profess into sustainable employment and improve their lives.

Key takeaways

  • Success rate of over 86% of young people progressing from the Homeworks programme into an apprenticeship, training or further employment.
  • The Homeworks model has been recognised as an exemplar and Best Practice by OFSTED.
  • The Homeworks social value model has, over the past four years, returned £7.80 per £1 spent.
  • The HACT social value calculator is used to measure the impact of the service.
  • Around 350 learners go through Homeworks each year, with a progression rate of more than 72% onto apprenticeships, further education, or sustained employment.
  • Since 2011 Homeworks has delivered 210 16-18 apprenticeships, 119 19-24 Apprenticeships, 163 25+ apprenticeship; in total 492 apprenticeships and 201 other training opportunities.
  • Many who start their post-school experience with PM Training are then employed by PM Training to share their experiences and help in the development of the next generation of facilities management professionals.

Twitter: @PM_Training