Employment programme with a green twist celebrates success!
Community and environmental charity Groundwork East is celebrating the achievements of participants on its Green Recovery employment programme.
Supported by Huntingdonshire District Council (HDC), the Green Recovery programme works with small groups of adults who are struggling to take their next steps in life. It puts them to work on a local conservation project, where they learn practical horticulture and habitat management skills alongside softer skills such as teamwork and confidence building. This also extends support to create CVs and succeed in interviews and participants are offered the opportunity to achieve a City & Guilds Level 1 Award in Practical Horticulture and a City & Guilds Level 1 Award in Employability Skills.
The beauty of the Green Recovery approach is that it not only builds the skills and confidence of participants, it has the additional benefits of improving public spaces and boosting biodiversity on sites that can then be enjoyed by the local communities. Previous cohorts have built wildlife ponds, installed natural hedging, maintained paths and built and installed bird and bat boxes.
The charity is currently running its sixth Green Recovery programme alongside Huntingdonshire District Council at Berman Park St Ives, where participants are creating new strips of wildflower alongside Berman Parks main pathways, clearing away overgrown scrub and planting a variety of native shrubs and trees to increase biodiversity across the park.
Crucial to the success of Green Recovery is its legacy and the charity has been bowled over with what they are discovering. When it recently got in touch with 18 previous participants it found that 67% were in employment, volunteering or further education three months after completing the programme! This is certainly a cause for celebration, not least in the context of a recognised need to train many more people into green jobs and tackle long-term unemployment. Of the 67% who have gone on to use the skills gained on their Green Recovery programme, 72% are using them in the green jobs industry.
Of equal importance is that 100% of participants said participating in the programme has improved their mental health, with 89% continuing to spend time outside in nature as a way to look after their wellbeing.
To find out more about the project results from a participant point of view, watch our interview with Dan
Green recovery not only provides participants with qualifications which get them pointed in the right direction, it also helps them grow by looking at the wider needs of the workplace and the participants. Participants grow as a whole, not narrowing their focus but giving them a step up, wherever they choose to go next
Jacob Bunt, Green Recovery Lead, Groundwork East
As a council, HDC are proud to support the Green Recovery programme, which not only provides volunteers with valuable skills for employment but also enhances our local environment for the benefit of all. “It is encouraging to see the positive impact this initiative is having on both people’s lives and our open spaces, from improving mental health to helping individuals gain qualifications and find sustainable jobs. By working together on projects like these, we are making a real difference to our communities, boosting biodiversity, and creating a greener, more resilient future for Huntingdonshire
Cllr Simon Taylor, Executive Councillor for Parks and Countryside, Waste and Street Scene
To get in touch with us about this project, email Eve Lucas or Jacob Bunt, or give us a ring on 01707 206129