Diversity in regeneration

In April 2018, the government’s national housing agency Homes England announced it was backing a scheme to inspire a new and diverse generation of young people into property and regeneration.

Homes England joined property developers CAPITAL&CENTRIC to launch the 2018 Regeneration Brainery programme in Manchester. The programme is described as an immersive experience that matches people aged 16-21 with industry mentors. The first week-long programme takes place in Manchester and will be followed by two other events in different cities later in 2018.

The Brainery is free for young people and includes construction site and workplace visits, interactive workshops, and tips and skills to succeeding in the industry. The organisers intend to challenge perceptions of regeneration, and encourage young people from a diverse range of backgrounds to consider a career in the industry. CAPITAL&CENTRIC hope the Brainery could become a template for other industries seeking to attract and inspire younger generations.

Nick Walkley, Chief Executive of Homes England, said:

“Creating vibrant new places and providing quality homes for people should be hugely inspiring career choices. Unfortunately, the opposite is true and as an industry we’re really struggling to attract young people to replace those who are retiring in the next few years. The housing crisis is as much a skills crisis.

“So, we need to work much harder and smarter to change perceptions of our industry and show how we’re making it more diverse, more modern and more progressive for young people who want to build a career while contributing to society.

“I’m determined that the new Homes England will show real leadership on these issues, so we didn’t hesitate to support the Regeneration Brainery, which is a brilliant, innovative scheme with real potential.”

Tim Heatley, co-founder of CAPITAL&CENTRIC, said:

“If we’re to going to push the boundaries of how our cities and towns grow in the future, we need new ideas and creative thinkers. The launch of the Regeneration Brainery is timely, given the ongoing conversations about equality and diversity across almost every industry in the UK - especially property. There’s a lot of people accepting there’s a challenge, but few practical ideas of how to bring about change.

“We’re chuffed Homes England are our first trustee. The Brainery is a practical way to fire up young people to aspiring to a career in regeneration.”

(Ref. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/homes-england-backs-pioneering-programme-to-encourage-diversity-in-regeneration)