Lunchtime Lessons

Building relationships with the community is a key way in which contractors can ease the impact on neighbours and improve the image of the industry. Working with schools is a great way to engage children with the construction process and is particularly important when the project is based in a school.

See the examples below for how one primary school site took community engagement a step further:

• The site holds daily ‘Lunchtime Lessons’ with the school pupils during term time.
• This is part of the site’s open policy – they have unsheeted Heras fencing around the site so that the children can see the work progressing.
• The site is next to the playground, so the site staff stand next to fencing every lunchtime to meet pupils and inform them about current progress and activities on site, and to answer the children’s questions.
• The task was given to the site Technical Apprentice and Trainee, with assistance from managers, so they develop their skills and learn to present information and answer questions.
• The school were so pleased with the sessions that they wrote a letter of thanks to the contractor, stating that some children had now expressed interest in construction careers.

By visiting the school every day, the site demonstrates a commitment to their community and dedication to maintaining children’s interest in the building works.