What is a ... youthbuild coordinator

Youthbuild is a project that aims to provide vocational training and employment opportunities for socially excluded young people through work placements on building projects with local businesses.

Most of the trainees complete NVQs in construction and go on to secure full-time employment in the building trade.

The project benefits are threefold: it creates opportunities for personal development for the young people involved, regenerates local neighbourhoods and increases the number of skilled young people entering the construction industry – which helps to address the acute recruitment shortage in this sector.

In one form or another, Youthbuild has been active in the UK for the past 12 years.

In that period, about 60 projects have engaged more than 2000 young people in training.

Saeda Najib was recently appointed Youthbuild coordinator for Yorkshire and Humberside, working from the National Housing Federation's Leeds office.

She has 10 years' experience in delivering regeneration and employment projects to inner-city communities, including coordinating a security traineeship programme for people aged 16-24 for Leeds Construction.

I’m contributing to an enhanced quality of life for people who are disadvantaged in multiple ways

She says: "I took this job because I recognise the value of Youthbuild projects in transforming lives and wanted to extend the benefits across the whole of Yorkshire and Humberside.

"What motivates me is knowing that I'm contributing to an enhanced quality of life for people who are disadvantaged in multiple ways.

"Equipping young people to make a better life for themselves through training and employment opportunities, life skills and improved self-esteem – that's what it's all about."

More partners needed
The current number of Youthbuild projects in the Yorkshire and Humberside region is limited. So Najib's initial task is to increase the number of partners, including the public, private and voluntary sector.

Bradford & Northern Housing Association has been actively involved in promoting Youthbuild with a range of partners for a number of years. It is hoped that Youthbuild can be replicated across the region and serve as an example of the In Business for Neighbourhoods agenda in action, by providing services and opportunities that benefit the local community as a whole.