Soapworks supports project partner, Arup to deliver Social Value

As an impactful developer, Socius believe we have a responsibility to use our work to enable and support our partners to do more good. In addition to our own commitment to educating young people about the future of real estate, we actively encourage our partners and peers to do the same.

In partnership with Barings, the Soapworks project in Bristol aims to deliver millions of pounds worth of social value in the coming years, through jobs, skills and wider community benefits.

This July, as part of its Soapworks social value commitment, professional services partner, Arup doubled its annual intake of work experience students, inviting 24 young people to its Bristol office for two weeks of workshops, challenges, and engineering experiments.

In our latest blog, Samuel Cook, Social Value Manager at Arup explains how its social value strategy, ‘Know Your City’ and the Soapworks project team, enabled Arup to provide an increased number of opportunities to priority school pupils in Bristol.

“The hot chocolate machine has never been more in-demand than it was earlier this summer, when we hosted 24 young people from schools across the city at our Bristol office!

Work experience is something that Arup has been offering for a number of years, but with increased interest and a commitment to providing equal access to opportunities, we doubled our provision this year, to ensure that as many young people as possible could take part. Aware that not every student has equal access to these types of opportunities, we targeted schools from priority wards in Bristol, to give them a preferential place.

The office was buzzing with young people, and as well as our workshops and programme of activities, the Soapworks project team gave the students an insight into their work on the project, encouraging them to consider the benefits of this new mixed-use development to their city. The work experience students also heard from the team about the various skills and specialist contractors that are brought in to deliver a project on this scale, from civil engineering and facades to structural engineers and construction. The students even got the opportunity to try out a VR headset, where they loved looking around the Revit model.

From the discussions that we’ve had with schools and the young people who attended this year’s placement, it is clear that demand for these eye-opening opportunities to experience the world of work is only increasing. It’s fantastic to be able to play our part in delivering social value as part of the Soapworks project, whilst meeting the educational needs of young people in our city.

We’re looking forward to continuing to partner with Socius and Barings, to support the communities around the Soapworks project; it’s all part of making sure this major development creates positive outcomes for people Bristol.

Find out more about how Socius is delivering impact here.