Building Futures

Project Overview

Building Futures is an ambitious project which will create a state-of-the-art residential unit that provides accommodation for learners from St. John’s College. The bespoke accommodation will, be informed by our learners’ experiences, be rooted in the community, incorporate the latest assistive and connected technology and help the resident learners to develop their independence to the highest possible level.

The project will create a building that not only delivers the best possible outcomes for the learners but also is built to the highest standards of sustainability and energy efficiency, developing a model of best practice for residential accommodation that can be shared throughout the sector.

We need the support of individuals, companies and grant funders to raise in excess of £1,000,000 to deliver the vision of this exciting project to improve outcomes:

for learners-

  • Learners able to live more independent lives
  • Learners with better personal care skills
  • Improved personal safety skills
  • More opportunities for learners to secure paid employment
  • Learners able to safely use and benefit from connected technology

for the community-

  • Developing carbon neutral, sustainable, low impact residential accommodation
  • A reduction in ongoing support needs and costs
  • Providing greater opportunities for employers to develop a more diverse workforce
  • Breaking down barriers with the wider community by meeting and getting to know learners

for the charity and peer organisations-

  • Opportunities for partnership working
  • Modelling an environment that requires less carer intervention
  • Demonstrating the integration of latest technology to support learners’ independence
  • Opportunity to share innovative solutions and best practice with other organisations
  • Reducing charity funds spent on rent and building the charity’s asset base.

Project Outline

Building Futures involves four key features:

  • Convert or build a six bedroomed residence, with outdoor space, that will be designed specifically around the needs of our learners. Using our current residents’ experiences, and that of their families and St. John’s staff members, to design the lay out of the home to make it a model of inclusive practice for 38 – 52 week care embedded in our local community. Ensuring it is accessible to, and appropriate for, young people with additional physical needs as well as their primary need.

  • Equipping the house with state-of-the-art life skills technologies that enable our young people to be as independent as possible and be equipped for the connected world they will live in.

  • Planning the house to make it carbon neutral, meeting the most ambitious environmental standards and for residents and staff to access the community and work in a sustainable fashion.

  • Utilising the experiences and learnings of the project, sharing innovations and best practice with other organisations working in a similar field and establishing the model for further residential units for St. John’s learners.

For further information on how to support Building Futures, contact Miranda Kemp, Fundraising Manager