Mactaggart & Mickel has signed an innovative, two-year partnership with us to provide vital life skills and practical support to Care Experienced young people when they move into their own homes for the first time.
Teams of Mactaggart & Mickel employees have volunteered to carry out essential repairs and refurbishment when young people move into their own homes for the first time. And they have chosen to celebrate Care Day (February 15) this week, by carrying out their first home refurbishment for our member, Lisa Moore who lives in Glasgow.
Mactaggart & Mickel painters, plumbers, bricklayers, roughcasters and other construction trade – together with Head Office staff – are being released from their ‘day job’ to carry out repairs and maintenance for Care Experienced people, many of whom lack a family support network to help them settle in.
Marion Forbes, HR Director of Mactaggart & Mickel, said:
“The idea was suggested by one of our Employer of Choice champions, who realised that we could harness skills that our staff already have to benefit those who may need a helping hand.
Most of us have a network of family and friends to guide us when we move into our first property, but Care Experienced people often don’t, so they may require additional support to tackle jobs around the home such as painting and decorating, turning off the water, or plumbing in a washing machine.
Duncan Dunlop, CEO of Who Cares? Scotland, said:
We are delighted to be working with Mactaggart & Mickel – not just because they represent our first strategic corporate partnership to support us in our work, but because they understand what we are trying to achieve and they are right behind us.
They understand that young people who have been in care often have little or no family support networks to turn to when they leave their care setting, and this can make it difficult for them to settle into their own homes.
The support that Mactaggart & Mickel can offer will help us to ensure that Care Experienced young people have the same opportunities as anyone else – with the ability to turn to a trusted supporter to help them with simple things like DIY and painting and decorating.
Mactaggart & Mickel’s support is therefore both practical and confidence-building. Our aim is that our members know they have people around them to turn to for advice and support, just as any other young person would.
Lisa said:
I want to say a big thank you to everyone from Mactaggart & Mickel who gave up their time to help renovate my flat. I love the final result and could never have done this without their help. I was amazed how quickly it’s gone from being a flat to being my home. This support will help our members massively – it certainly has for me.
Over the coming months, Mactaggart & Mickel will provide further support for the Care Experienced community by offering work experience opportunities, arranging taster days on construction sites, and hosting a life skills day at their Head Office. Many employees have also pledged to take part in the annual Kiltwalk in Glasgow which is taking place on 28 April 2019.
Notes to Editors
Who Cares? Scotland is a national voluntary organisation dedicated to Care Experienced people. The charity provides advocacy to children who are in the care system, and campaigns to change policy, practice and legislation to benefit Care Experienced people. The charity is a membership organisation, representing the Care Experienced community.
Mactaggart & Mickel are an award-winning family business with family values at their heart. They have been designing and constructing quality homes in sought-after locations since 1925. Their current Scottish developments are in Edinburgh & the Lothians, Glasgow, Renfrewshire, Ayrshire and across the Central Belt.
Care Day
Care Day celebrates, champions and connects the Care Experienced community with each other and those who care about them. The first Care Day took place in 2015 to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Scottish Parliament unanimous passing of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill 2014. This was a significant moment in Who Cares? Scotland’s history as the evidence of 21 brave Care Experienced people helped change the Bill’s course and secure more rights for Care Experienced people in Scotland.
The KiltWalk
The KiltWalk is a unique Scottish charity event, which brings together walkers of all ages and abilities for an unforgettable fun day. All money raised helps to provide exciting opportunities for Who Cares? Scotland members. More information: https://www.whocaresscotland.org/fundraising/kiltwalk/
