The Reality Behind Employability Programmes

By Amanda Scrimgeour – Programme Manager

The Lifelong Learning Team recently secured funding from Croda to deliver employability programmes for unemployed adults in Goole and Selby, combining practical environmental work with accredited training and pathways into employment.

Our first programme, delivered in Selby between March and May, saw participants working on our allotment site undertaking a range of soft and hard landscaping tasks. Alongside gaining valuable practical experience, participants helped restore neglected allotments, bringing them back into productive use for Selby Town Council. During the programme, participants worked towards their NOCN Level 1 Horticulture qualification and achieved their LANTRA Brushcutter certification.

As with many employability initiatives, the journey was not without its challenges. Of the 11 individuals who initially enrolled, five completed the programme. While this may appear a modest outcome on paper, it reflects the reality of working with people who are often facing multiple barriers to employment, confidence, and sustained engagement.

Our second programme began in Goole in late May. Following an information session at Goole Job Centre attended by 13 individuals, 11 expressed an interest in joining the programme. However, when the course commenced, only four participants attended and one chose not to continue after the first session.

These experiences can be frustrating at times, particularly when genuine opportunities exist. Through our partnership with Goole Town Council, there are currently vacancies available within the council’s Green Team, offering a potential route into paid employment for those who complete the programme and demonstrate commitment and enthusiasm.

Yet these experiences also serve as a reminder of why employability programmes are needed. Supporting people furthest from the labour market requires patience, resilience, and a willingness to work through setbacks. Success is not always measured solely by completion rates; it is often found in the confidence built, the skills gained, and the individuals who take their first steps back towards employment.

While the challenges can be significant, the opportunities created through programmes such as these make the effort worthwhile. For every participant who progresses into training, employment, or renewed confidence, the impact extends far beyond the statistics – and it is those golden nuggets that we must hold dear.

“I was one of those that attended Selby with Tony and the crew there in the photos! Tony is a great guy, so down to earth, safe, looks after you and is welcoming and inclusive of everyone! He’s a credit to Groundwork Yorkshire.
“Being part of the programme was an amazing experience! If anyone sees this and is thinking about it, do it! It’s fun, really easy and not even that long.
“I can’t thank you enough for the opportunity, especially the LANTRA Brushcutter course.
“It’s a shame reading about the ones who have left early, or not been interested. There’s so many horticulture college students that would snap up the opportunity to get funded through an otherwise very expensive LANTRA course. I would never have been able to afford on benefits or with not being able to drive to somewhere to take it too.
“It’s amazing what you’re doing for people. Especially us that are disadvantaged in certain ways.”
– Alexander, course participant