Kier Group has launched a six-week programme in Norfolk aimed at helping care-experienced young people move into employment, training or further education.
The initiative, delivered with Norfolk County Council, Norfolk Virtual School and Your Own Place, is open to 16- to 25-year-olds, including those not in education, employment or training.
An initial cohort of eight participants started the programme after a launch event in Wymondham on 14 April. The event was hosted by broadcaster and former athlete Kriss Akabusi, who led a workshop on confidence and personal development.
The Building Brighter Futures programme forms part of Kier’s work linked to its highways contract in the county. Over the course of the £700m contract, which will run for up to 14 years, a minimum of one cohort will be delivered annually, supporting up to 12 young people per group.
Young people from care backgrounds often face additional barriers in accessing these opportunities, and the initiative aims to equip them with the skills and confidence they need.
The programme supports Kier’s commitment to the government’s Care Leaver Covenant and aligns with the Youth Guarantee, forming part of the company’s wider approach to supporting care‑experienced young people, including those who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), into work, training or further education.
Participants will benefit from:
- Real workplace experience;
- One-to-one mentoring;
- Priority access to apprenticeships;
- Life skills training, including money management and confidence building;
- Practical employability workshops.
Planning and preparation
Donna Howard, head of social impact and inclusion for Kier Infrastructure, said she was “delighted to be launching the care experience programme in Norfolk”.
“A huge amount of planning and preparation has gone into getting this programme to this point, working closely with partners including Norfolk Virtual School and Your Own Place to ensure it is truly designed around the needs of care-experienced young people.
“This programme is about providing meaningful skills, real experience and genuine opportunity, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the young people succeed and building on this programme together over the next 14 years.”
Grahame Bygrave, director of highways, transport and waste at Norfolk County Council, praised the programme. “Our partnership with Kier is going to make a real difference to young people across Norfolk with this initiative, helping them take their next steps in life,” he said. “Kier is not just helping maintain physical roads but also opening up new paths for our young people to take in life. It’s great to see this investment in our communities from our new partner.”
