Social value in action in Salford!

Highly commended at the prestigious Social Value Awards 2025, the Peel Green Construction Skills Centre in Eccles is a powerful example of radical collaboration transforming lives and communities.

Created by Salford City Council, the Build Salford consortium, social enterprises, employment and education partners, the centre is now a vibrant, hands-on training hub for modern construction skills.

Young people, many previously not in education, employment or training, helped co design and refurbish the building, gaining qualifications and experience as they shaped the place where they would later train. Local businesses contributed materials, equipment and expertise, helping ensure the curriculum reflects real world needs.

Developed in response to a skills gap in the construction industry and a shortage of college places for young people, the centre has already made an impressive impact. This includes practical training aligned to employer demand, strong industry partnerships and clear pathways into well paid roles.

The model reduces pressure on local colleges, boosts employment prospects, and provides a scalable blueprint for community led skills development. Early outcomes include residents moving into training and jobs, strengthened industry partnerships, and an estimated £1.14 million in social and economic value over the next year.

In early 2026, children from Salford and Trafford schools are competing to have their artwork displayed on the development hoardings of the UK’s first urban wellbeing resort. This early engagement forms part of Therme’s wider social value plans to create jobs, boost wellbeing and open opportunities for Salford residents when the resort opens.

A key part of securing social value from developers, contractors and businesses that the council collaborates with, is ensuring they create routes into employment.

One example is the council’s long-term partnership with Bupa which hosted a discovery day to raise awareness of career pathways with them and remove barriers to work. Three attendees consequently secured roles including Lawrence Okafor, a young man who struggled to break into procurement despite holding a relevant degree. Salford Employment Hub provided him with tailored career support and direct interaction with Bupa staff which progressed into his much longed-for procurement role.

As part of their induction with Seddon Construction, every apprentice takes part in a volunteering day in the communities in which they work. The video below shows how Seddon’s apprentice day in Ordsall 2025 supported Salford Lads and Girls Club and Ordsall Community Arts Centre. The apprentices provided much needed people-power to help transform and organise community spaces, which supported their own training and development.

Seddon also played a key role in creating The Hive, the transformation of a much-needed community space in Victoria Park. They donated materials worth around £45,000 and around 1,200 hours of staff time, giving the space a new lease of life. The revitalised Hive now offers education and digital support, especially for homeless people and ex-service personnel. Boasting a 60% increase in footfall, The Hive now plays an integral part in improving residents’ lives, helping to break isolation and providing a support network to those most in need.

When commissioning work on the M602 motorway, Salford’s highways engineering team worked with national highway contractors to secure community safety support. As a result, Galliford Try and Multipave donated funding to Healthwatch Salford and Start in Salford for their suicide prevention activities.

As part of the Salford Rise project in 2025, structural engineers, Cundalls, provided their technical expertise to support Langworthy Reds Rugby League Club. They assessed and advised on the drainage issues which affected pitch quality and prevented year-round playability. Their investigation of the site’s geology, utilities and drainage options helped the club identify potential solutions to improve drainage and increase playability

During the transformation of Clifton’s former youth centre into a Pupil Referral Unit in 2024, Robertson worked with educational, employability and community partners to maximise social value. 

Outcomes included new jobs for local people, targeted opportunities for disadvantaged residents and more than £60k worth of staff time dedicated to supporting young people into work. 

Robertson’s also supported VCSEs and SMEs with both spend and expert business advice, alongside equality, diversity and inclusion training for staff and supply chain partners.

In total, Robertson created £677,006 of social value. 

Civil engineering contractor AE Yates, delivered over half a million pounds of social value in Salford during phase one of Chapel Street East works in 2025 in a range of different ways.

Committed to developing employment opportunities for local people, the company partnered with the council’s care leaver programme, offering a careers site visit and paid work experience placements to young people currently in care.

AE Yates staff also supported local schools, delivering a financial skills day and mock interviews for year ten students, at All Hallows RC High School, helping students build confidence in budgeting and preparing for their futures.

The contractor’s long-standing relationships across the city continue to generate value for community organisations. Staff volunteer time supports the Salford Ranger team, helping keep public spaces clean and accessible and the company regularly assists Salford Foodbank with food donations and hands-on help packing and distributing parcels to residents facing hardship.

Further volunteering staff supported Incredible Edible Salford with staff painting and relocating large planters to benefit local neighbourhoods. At Christmas AE Yates also donated personalised gifts to women and children seeking safety from domestic abuse with Salford Women’s Aid, helping to bring comfort and dignity to families in crisis.

To support the council’s ambition to reduce the numbers of young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs), KeepMoat developed a six-week summer training programme at Riverbank View. Co-designed with community, charitable and industry groups, the course introduces NEETs to construction careers, builds their confidence, providing them with work experience, industry qualifications and personalised support.

Winner of a Social Value UK award in 2018 the initiative has now run multiple times with participants progressing into jobs and contributing to improved local environments.