16.10.26
Over the past six weeks, we’ve been proud to support 16 young people taking their next steps towards employment through MFC Foundation’s Bright Lights 2026 programme.
Our sister company, Cumbria Waste, has supported the Foundation for several years, and it’s been a pleasure for J&B Recycling to get involved and build on that relationship as part of our wider community work.
Bright Lights supports young people who feel unsure about their next steps in employment, with many referred through the Jobcentre and similar services. The programme offers practical support and work experience, helping participants explore different roles, build their confidence and recognise what they have to offer.
Gaining experience and finding direction
The six weeks included CV support, workshops, employer visits and work placements, giving participants plenty of opportunities to learn and try something new.
Many completed two-week placements across Teesside Park, experiencing roles in cleaning, traffic management and retail, including placements with Boots and The Works. These gave them a chance to get involved in day-to-day working life, meet new people and discover the types of work they enjoyed.
For some, those experiences have already led to job opportunities, including a full-time traffic management role and positions within retail stores.
Seeing the difference in confidence
Our Area Sales Manager, Paul Killick, and Marketing Coordinator, Isobel Hanley, carried out mock interviews with participants during their first week before returning for another round towards the end of the programme. Discussing aspirations and giving the young people a sense of what the real world of work is like!
At the first interviews, many participants were quiet and still finding their confidence. By the final sessions, they were much more comfortable talking about themselves, sharing what they had learnt and discussing what they wanted to do next.
Reflecting on the experience, Isobel shared:
“One conversation during the interviews really stayed with me. A young man told us that, as much as he’d appreciated the work experience, what he’d valued most was making friends. He explained that he hadn’t really had friends before, but now he had lots - they’d even made a group chat!
“It was lovely to hear and showed just how much the programme meant to him beyond finding work. Seeing those friendships develop, alongside everyone’s confidence, has been one of the best parts of being involved.”
Celebrating everyone’s progress
The programme finished with a celebration event in Teesside Park’s management suite. Ingrid Brough-Williams, our Sales and Marketing Manager, attended alongside Paul and Isobel to celebrate the participants’ hard work and achievements.
Previous participants also returned to share their stories and explain where the programme had taken them. One young man spoke about securing a maintenance operator apprenticeship at Teesside Park – an amazing example of the opportunities that can follow the initial six weeks.
Hearing these experiences, alongside seeing the progress of this year’s group, made it a lovely way to finish the programme and recognise everyone who helped make it possible.
At J&B Recycling, social value is an important part of how we operate as a business. We believe our responsibility goes beyond providing waste management and recycling services – it's also about supporting the communities in which we work, creating opportunities and making a positive, lasting difference to people's lives.
Supporting initiatives like Bright Lights gives us the opportunity to put that commitment into practice. Whether it's helping young people develop their confidence, gain valuable experience or take their first steps into employment, we're proud to contribute our time, knowledge and resources to programmes that make a genuine difference.
A big well done to all 16 young people who took part and thank you to MFC Foundation and the employers involved. We’ve really enjoyed playing a part in Bright Lights 2026 and look forward to seeing what everyone does next.
