Next Green Action Employability Programme
Participants from Falkirk
and North Lanarkshire Sought - Aged 16-25 years
The next Green Actions skills and employability programme will
begin in Falkirk on Thursday 23rd August and North
Lanarkshire on 24th August and, for the first time,
volunteers completing the 14 week course on the Forth & Clyde
Canal will achieve two accredited qualifications.
Green Action will run for one day each week, on Thursday in
Falkirk and on Friday in North Lanarkshire, between August and
November and the Waterways Trust Scotland invites all those between
16-25 years old who are interested in participating to get in
touch.
This is the third programme of Green Action, which is
co-ordinated by the Waterways Trust Scotland and it has been funded
for the second time by the Forestry Commission Scotland (through
the Skills Framework Contract).
The young volunteers will receive learning and skills training
in painting, joinery and vegetation management on the Forth &
Clyde Canal.
The Waterways Trust Scotland is also looking for volunteer
mentors to work on the programme alongside the
supervisors.
Alan Forester, the Waterways Trust Scotland,
says:
"This is the third Green Action programme and we know from
experience that volunteers get not just satisfaction and enjoyment
out of working on the Scottish canals but they come away with some
new skills and abilities and ideas about future work they might
want to do.
"This is the first time that we have been able to offer
accredited qualifications as well so I urge anyone who might be
interested or who might know someone who might be interested to get
in touch now. It could change your outlook and opportunities
completely."
Joneen Clarke,
Employment Skills Manager,
Forestry
Commission
Scottish Lowlands Forest District adds:
"Forestry Commission Scotland are extremely pleased to be able
to continue their partnership with The Waterways Trust. The
previous groups have done outstanding work and the programme has
been very successful in providing young people with a positive
destination. Green Actions achievements are even more
impressive when you take into consideration that the groups are
only out one day a week. The Waterways Trust continually
improve the experience of the volunteers and this is evident with
the addition of accredited training, John Muir Awards, Youth
Achievement Awards and the continuation of the Saltire Awards.
"The advantages of the scheme are endless, working in the
outdoors, gaining work experience, employability skills, improving
physical and mental health and making new friends."
The Falkirk programme will be based at The Falkirk Wheel.
Volunteers will gain experience across a range of activities
including painting, woodwork and vegetation management.
Projects will include installing bat boxes and wooden seats,
designing and building an outdoor workbench and working on The
Falkirk Wheel nature trail, maintaining two wildflower garden beds
and planting wildflowers.
The North Lanarkshire project will be based at Auchinstarry
Marina on the Forth & Clyde Canal.
Projects will include helping refurbish a drainage system,
maintaining seats and benches, re-planting and weeding flower beds,
maintaining willows, planting trees and maintaining flower beds
The two accredited qualifications will be awarded by the
Northern Advisory Council for Further Education (NCFE) through The
Conservation Volunteers Scotland. The qualifications are: NCFE
Scrub Clearance and NCFE Health & Safety).
There are also a number of places available for volunteers who
may want to try for their Construction Skills Certification Scheme
(CSCS) certificate.
Green Action activities also provide volunteers with an ideal
vehicle to attain John Muir Awards, Youth Achievement Awards and
the Saltire Award.
Throughout the programme, help with preparing CVs and looking
for employment will be given to volunteers.
To find out more about participating or joining the team
as a volunteer mentor, contact Alan Forester at Waterways Trust
Scotland on -
mobile 07768 951740 and by email at alan@waterwaystrust.org.uk
31 July 2012