Our Key Delivery Partner, Balfour Beatty Kilpatrick (BBK), has partnered with St Joseph’s Catholic High School to help students become agents of positive change in their community.
The Leading Change programme, developed by the Centre for Leadership Performance, aims to inspire secondary school students to broaden their horizons and take meaningful action.
It aligns with the engagement and volunteering theme of our social impact strategy, equipping young people with vital life skills such as leadership, teamwork, public speaking, and creative thinking.
At St Joseph’s, students identified three key focus areas inspired by the Millennium Development Goals: gender equality, wellbeing, and environmental sustainability. These priorities emerged from their own observations, including mental health challenges, access to sports facilities, and a need for greater environmental awareness.
Building on the success of last year’s wellbeing garden, this year’s cohort turned their attention to transforming the Year 7 yard — a space critical to helping new students transition smoothly into secondary school. Their vision? A more inclusive, engaging environment that supports mental health and fosters a sense of belonging.
Implementing Change
With creativity and determination, the students successfully pitched their ideas and secured funding for:
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Social benches to encourage connection
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Inclusive play equipment
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Chalkboards and paint
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Planters to promote biodiversity
Kaitlin Richardson, social impact co-ordinator for BBK, said: “The enthusiasm and dedication of these Year 7 and 9 students have been truly inspiring. After identifying key challenges, such as the need for more inclusive play spaces, rising concerns over mental health in young people, and environmentally friendly practices, they worked hard to bring their ideas to life.
“Building on last year’s wellbeing garden, our group set out to transform the Year 7 yard, creating a space that fosters inclusivity and sustainability, helping students transition smoothly into secondary school.”
Although the materials are ready, the final installation is awaiting a spell of dry weather. The full impact of the project will be seen in September, when the new Year 7 students arrive. A follow-up survey is planned to gather feedback and measure the initiative’s success.
Kaitlin added: “While there’s still work to be done, I couldn’t be prouder of what this team has achieved so far. They are a pleasure to work with, and it’s inspiring to see young people acting on their passion to drive real change. I’m looking forward to seeing this vision come to life!”
Youngsters at a West Cumbrian school are going to benefit from an outdoor ‘wellbeing room’ and sensory garden, thanks to members of our supply chain.
Sir Robert McAlpine (SRM) provided health and safety advice and did ground surveys before work began.
Bookwell Primary School deputy head and wellbeing lead, Shona Wolfenden, added: “We’re all very excited about our new space! We can’t believe how quickly it’s come together, with very little fuss or disruption. If only all school projects ran as smoothly!
