Earlier this month, we celebrated International Youth Day 2026. This year, we are celebrating the potential, creativity and ambition of young people. At Selwood Housing, we are proud to support young people through work experience, apprenticeships, improver opportunities, learning and development, careers fairs, mock interviews and CV support. These opportunities help young people build confidence, develop practical skills and take positive steps towards their future careers.
By creating opportunities today, we are helping young people feel inspired, supported and ready to succeed. Investing in young people is not only about supporting individual career journeys. It is also about strengthening our organisation, our communities, and the future workforce.
International Youth Day is a reminder that every young person deserves the chance to learn, grow and feel supported. Through meaningful opportunities, practical guidance, and encouragement, we can help young people realise their potential and take confident steps towards their future.
Purpose
International Youth Day is an opportunity to recognise the talent, ambition and potential of young people. At Selwood Housing, we are proud to support young people by creating meaningful experiences, building confidence and helping them understand the opportunities available within the workplace.
Our commitment
We want young people to feel welcomed, supported and encouraged to take their next steps. Whether someone is joining us for work experience, starting an apprenticeship, taking part in an improver year or attending a development activity, our aim is to provide practical support that helps them develop skills, explore career pathways and feel confident about their future.
What we currently do
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Area of support |
How this helps young people |
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Work experience |
We provide opportunities for young people to gain hands-on insight into the world of work, helping them build confidence, understand workplace expectations and explore future career options. |
|
Apprenticeships and improver years |
We support early career development by offering structured opportunities where young people can learn on the job, develop practical skills and work towards longer-term career goals. |
|
Learning and development opportunities |
We encourage young people to continue learning, strengthening their skills and growing their confidence through practical development opportunities. |
|
Careers fairs and employment events |
We attend work and careers fairs to showcase career routes, promote opportunities and help young people understand the range of roles available within housing and customer-focused services. |
|
School engagement and mock interviews |
We support schools by helping students prepare for the workplace through mock interviews, which can improve confidence, communication and readiness for future opportunities. |
|
CV support |
We offer guidance for those who want to improve or enhance their CV, helping them present their experience, strengths and potential more clearly. |
Why this matters
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It helps young people gain real workplace experience and understand the skills employers value.
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It builds confidence by giving young people a safe space to ask questions, practice interviews and receive feedback.
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It creates clearer routes into employment, training and development.
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It shows that young people have valuable ideas, energy and perspectives to contribute.
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It supports our wider purpose as a housing provider by investing in people and communities.
Jack Higgin’s apprentice success story
Starting his journey through the apprentice programme, Jack gained valuable hands-on experience while completing his apprenticeship. Although the first few weeks were challenging due to organisational changes and staff turnover, he remained committed, adapted to the situation, and soon found his place within the team.
The programme provided him with the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to successfully complete his apprenticeship and progress into a permanent role with Selwood Housing. A key area of development was working within the Fire Team, where he learned the importance of fire safety and developed specialist skills, including fire door installation and achieving BM TRADA Q-Mark Gold Label standards.
Throughout his journey, Jack received strong support from his manager and colleagues, who encouraged his development through practical guidance, training opportunities, and access to industry webinars. This investment in learning helped him build the knowledge and expertise required to succeed in his role.
Now a permanent member of the Compliance Fire Team, where he has worked for the past two years, Jack continues to develop his skills through further training and qualifications. He has gained confidence in working independently, solving problems, and delivering high-quality work. He particularly values the opportunity to learn from experienced colleagues and the trust placed in him to take ownership of tasks.
Reflecting on his experience, Jack highlights the friendly, supportive culture at Selwood Housing and the opportunities available for people starting their careers. He credits regular check-ins, supportive managers, and a strong team environment for helping him settle in and develop professionally.
If you would like to find out more about the support Selwood Housing can provide, or browse our current vacancies, please visit our careers page.
