As part of our Youth Employability and Aspirations Programme with Moorside Primary, the students had a fantastic visit from the astronomy and physics team from Durham University! They used VR to explore space and had the opportunity to see the night sky and constellations in their planetarium. Lorraine and the Durham University ‘Science Engagement Team’, worked with the children around careers linked to science and space-based technology, as part of the ‘Into the Light’ Project. The children learnt about the different routes that young people could take to work as a University researcher or scientist.
The children were also specially invited to the National Astronomy Meeting (NAM) at Durham University! The NAM brought together nearly 1,000 astronomers from across the UK to share the latest research about the Universe. They learnt about lots of different jobs relating to space including environmental engineers, astrophysicists, innovation managers and human resources.
Our young people even made the local news! Check the articles our below!


Wellbeing / May 11th, 2022
Employability / May 11th, 2022
Teenage Girls’ Emotional Wellbeing & Aspirations Programme
We successfully delivered a twelve-week programme to support vulnerable teenage girls in Stanley, in an area of high socio-economic deprivation. Our project focused on early interventions to prevent longer term mental health issues, particularly with those who are suffering due to the impact of COVID-19.
Environmental / July 2nd, 2025
Benfieldside Communty Garden's Early July Update
Here is Building Self-Belief's .July update about the work at Benfieldside Community Garden. The areas where the paths will be have been scraped out - and next week the 2000 blocks will be laid to edge the path... Take a look at the work so far!
Heritage / December 4th, 2023
Sarah Envy - Consett Heritage Podcast
Sarah is Engagement Manager for The National Lottery Heritage Fund North. Until her involvement in our Consett Heritage Project, she was unaware that this area had such a significant industrial past, and that Consett steel was used in the construction of the Eiffel Tower! From photographs she has seen of the old Consett Ironworks, she now realises that you would have been able to see rows of machinery just over the horizon from the Reservoir, peeking over the ridge of the dam. She believes that we need to continue to provide opportunities to access such a significant part of Consett's heritage. She is particularly excited about the latest Heritage initiative that will truly put Co Durham on the cultural and heritage map!