Dozens of enthusiastic young people have been given behind-the-scenes access to Plymouth's Meadow View development in recent weeks, as part of an expanded programme of community engagement and skills development.

The £13 million flagship adult care facility on Outland Road, designed to support more than 60 adults with complex needs and learning disabilities, has become a focal point for learning and career exploration, hosting college and university students, school pupils and jobseekers.

Students from City College Plymouth, supported by The Plym Group, took part in a practical site tour featuring hands-on demonstrations and real-world insights. They were joined by University of Plymouth students, with one now undertaking a weekly work-experience placement on the project.

Beyond the site, the Devon Contractors team has delivered a CV skills workshop with On Course South West and supported placements at the DRAKE Care Centre, giving participants an early taste of care settings and the built-environment roles that underpin them.

Work with local SEN schools is growing, with groups from Plymouth and beyond observing foundation works, exploring modern building materials and getting close to the diggers and rollers shaping the scheme, while seeing how engineering, surveying and problem-solving come together on a live construction site.

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Career-focused activity is also stepping up. A joint Skills Launchpad and Jobcentre Job Shop event held today brought 20 jobseekers keen to learn about opportunities linked to Meadow View and its wider supply chain.

Councillor Mary Aspinall, Plymouth City Council Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, said: "Meadow View is already shaping up to be an inspiring project for our city, and it’s wonderful to see it inspiring the next generation too. Plymouth is committed to making sure every young person, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, has the chance to explore exciting career pathways. This week’s visit showed just how powerful hands-on learning can be, and I'm thrilled that Devon Contractors are helping bring these opportunities to life."

Nigel Whelan, Managing Director at Devon Contractors, added: "At Devon Contractors, social value is built into everything we do. Meadow View is first and foremost about people, and by working closely with the client, service users and local students, we are ensuring this project genuinely supports social care and SEN and SEMH needs. Our aim is to create meaningful opportunities and a setting that enhances wellbeing, inclusion and long-term positive outcomes for everyone who will use it."

The visit reflects Plymouth City Council's ambition for Meadow View to be more than a building, rooted in opportunity, accessibility and community engagement.

Due to complete in summer 2026, Meadow View will offer daytime opportunities and respite support for adults with complex needs, providing seven bedrooms and seven self-contained apartments, including crisis-support spaces, alongside creative, therapeutic and life-skills environments. The single-storey development will feature a sensory room, craft studios such as a pottery room with kiln, communal dining and kitchen spaces to build independent living skills, and landscaped grounds with wildflower planting and 55 new trees.