New Green Recovery nature skills programme looking for recruits!
Community and environment charity Groundwork East has a small number of spaces left on its environmental skills programme, Green Recovery. If you’re based in or near St Ives and interested in working outdoors, improving spaces for people and nature, this could be for you.
Groundwork’s Green Recovery programme has been designed to improve public spaces, boost biodiversity, and work with local communities. To achieve these goals, the team work with small groups of adults who are looking to develop their personal and practical skills.
Here are the details of the next Green Recovery project:
WHERE: Berman Park, St Ives
WHEN: Wednesday to Friday for eight weeks, beginning on 02 October
Participants will have the opportunity to gain a City and Guilds Level 1 award in Practical Horticulture, and everyone who finishes the programme will be gifted a £50 voucher.
If you want to find out more or are interested in signing up, contact Eve Lucas via the button below.
Funded by Huntingdonshire District Council
Groundwork has long recognised the benefit of working outdoors, and more recently how we need to upskill more people into green jobs as we work to tackle the effects of climate change. A 2023 report compiled by the organisation highlighted that:
“Our economy is changing. Adapting to climate change, reducing carbon emissions and reversing the decline in biodiversity present challenges and opportunities for how we work. In many sectors of the economy this means new knowledge and a skills transition“
Programmes like Green Recovery, designed to grow the green workforce are centred on fostering the skills and confidence of participants at an individual level. There is also the additional benefit of improving public spaces and boosting biodiversity. These improved public spaces can then be used for community activities, encouraging local residents to enjoy and protect them in the future.
Previously, Green Recovery participants have undertaken activity to manage and maintain wildlife habitats, make bat boxes, build ponds and plant hedgerows and beds.
The Green Recovery Project is a fantastic opportunity to improve your mental health, boost your skills, and support your aspirations. You will have the chance to gain qualifications, help your local community, and increase biodiversity in your local area. If you’re interested in working outside or looking to try something new, we would love for you to join us on our next project in St Ives!
Eve Lucas, Project Officer, Groundwork East
Working outdoors in all weathers was a challenge, however, the team spirit made it all worthwhile. I am on the verge of pursuing a dream of self-employment and it helped me improve my practical skills. I have ended the project happier and more in control than when I began – the future looks and feels brighter
Tom, Green Recovery project participant
Huntingdonshire District Council is proud to support Groundwork’s Green Recovery programme, which not only equips participants with essential green skills but also makes a tangible difference to our local environment and communities. By investing in initiatives like this, we’re helping to create a greener future, one where our public spaces thrive with biodiversity and local residents are empowered to take an active role in caring for them
Cllr Simone Taylor, Executive Councillor for Parks and Countryside, Waste and Street Scene