Our Latest Insights
Here you can read the latest on news, events, stories, and blog posts.
Volunteering / March 17th, 2026
The Know Your Neighbourhood - Volunteering Programme
The aim of this programme, kindly supported by Point North, was to engage and recruit local volunteers to help combat loneliness and social isolation across the Consett and wider County Durham community.
Volunteering / Fundraising / March 3rd, 2026
Consett Anarchy Sponsored by Building Self-Belief
We are absolutely delighted to be sponsoring Consett Anarchy fooball team. They approached us when they were short of funds to buy a kit and coats, so we stepped up as this is a great way to give something back in support of the local community.
Volunteering / Digital Inclusion / December 12th, 2025
Lets Get Digital: Digital Unite Event
What an inspiring day at Digital Unite’s Let’s Get Digital Northeast event, held at our very own community building in Consett. Community organisations, project leaders, digital champions and learners from across County Durham and Newcastle were brought together to focus on strengthening digital motivation, confidence and skills.
Volunteering / Environmental / October 30th, 2025
Gardening Club Success
Our community garden has come such a long way, and we are absolutely delighted that we are now in a position to hold bigger and better events for our community. Our first Gardening Club has been a great success,
Wellbeing / Volunteering / October 16th, 2025
Consett celebrates opening of new community centre
A local Consett charity has opened the doors to its new premises on Steel Street in the town centre.Building Self Belief, which provides support to vulnerable young people, hopes the centre will be a vibrant home for its range of support services, from group wellbeing workshops to team-building activities.
Volunteering / Environmental / June 19th, 2025
Mayors Opportunity Fund - Green Hands Together
With help from the Mayor's Opportunity Fund, they have helped us transform Benfieldside Community Garden from derelict land. Their support has made a huge difference and we have enlisted young people to the Green Hands Together project to work on the garden, creating a flourishing community space. It has brought everybody together.
Volunteering / Environmental / February 3rd, 2025
Benfieldside Community Garden - January 2025 Update
Here's a short update of where we are up to with out plans for Benfieldside Community Garden. We are working through the winter, to get as much as we can in place so the community can enjoy the space over the summer months. A massive thank you to our volunteers, we couldn't do it without you!
Volunteering / Environmental / Our Awards / January 13th, 2025
RHS School Gardening Awards Levels 1 & 2
We are proud to share that we have achieved both Level 1 and Level 2 of the RHS Campaign for School Gardening Awards for our work renovating Benfieldside Community Garden! We have received a variety of seeds to plant in the garden, a growing calendar and certificates. Thank you to all of our amazing volunteers who help to make this happen! Next step- Level 3!
Volunteering / Environmental / Our Awards / January 8th, 2025
NE Charity Awards 2025, Maya Patterson
One of our fabulous volunteers, Maya Patterson achieved the Highly Commended Award at the NE Charity Awards in September 2025, for her voluntary work with Building Self-Belief CIO. She was recognised as a Young Charity Champion of the year for her major contribution to Building Self-Belief, in particular for her support with the youth clubs and at Benfieldside Community Garden. Well done Maya, this is very well deserved!
Employability / Volunteering / December 6th, 2024
From Consett to Chan Yu
The premise of Know our Neighbourhood is to get people volunteering, not just to provide the activities themselves. We were delighted when Joe Farnsworth signed up a s a volunteer, Joe had recently graduated with a Cyber Security degree from the University of Newcastle and was looking for opportunities to extend his skills.
Volunteering / Environmental / November 25th, 2024
Benfieldside Community Garden's First Birthday
What a year we have had! We have transformed a derelict space into a fabulous community asset. Plus there's even more to come. Take a look at our fabulous booklet to get a full appreciation of all of the work we have done!
Wellbeing / Employability / Volunteering / November 11th, 2024
Aimee's Exciting Start to a New Academic Year
After a busy start to the new academic year, our Newcastle University Intern, Aimee Wager, shares some of the incredible work that the charity has been getting involved in over the past seven weeks. She reflects on all of the wonderful opportunities she has been given since beginning her placement in September.
Employability / Volunteering / October 17th, 2024
'Inclusion - How to Include without Excluding' A talk for the Digital Leaders online Conference
A talk by Christine Thomas with thoughts about how to empower individuals, particularly those with SEND, and within the context of her experiences as a teacher and manager of English in secondary schools.
Volunteering / August 19th, 2024
Happy 40th Birthday to Rendles of Consett!
On their 40th Birthday, Building Self-Belief would like to say a huge thank you to Rendles of Consett for their excellent products, service and support they have given us over the past year, to help us deliver our Household Support Fund.
Employability / Volunteering / Environmental / May 20th, 2024
Katie Baggott - Volunteer Podcast
Durham Community Action and Building Self Belief reflect on the impact Good to Grow Week has made in County Durham and chat about the power of volunteering to increase community gardening in the local area of Benfieldside in Consett.
Volunteering / Environmental / May 2nd, 2024
Good to Grow 2024
Good to Grow 2024 came at a perfect time for our projects at Benfieldside Community Garden. We have done a huge amount of work to clear the site, after years of neglect, and in April we found ourselves ready to plant.