GardenGATE 2 is an exciting scheme, financed by the European Union, offering free horticultural work placements at ActivGardens’ projects in Ipswich. The placements will enable people over the age of 19 without employment to access a wide range of horticultural experience and training, within flexible hours. It follows the success of a similar scheme last year, which saw 13 people learn a range of skills across two garden sites; of these participants, one went into full-time employment and one enrolled on a full-time course in horticulture at a local further education college. Four others continued to volunteer at our garden projects, with one participant winning an Ipswich in Bloom ‘Student of the Year’ award.

GardenGATE consists of an induction session with our lead trainer, when the learner will have a chance to discuss what they would like to get out of the placement, and agree their individual learning plan and scheme of work at the gardens. There will be an introductory training session covering health and safety and readiness for work, and three further training sessions, each focussing on a key area of horticulture. The learner will have a chance to assess their placement mid-way through the scheme, and will attend an exit interview to reflect on their experience at the gardens and discuss future plans.

The three main areas of work experience offered are: Amenity Garden Maintenance; Market Gardening and Enterprise; and Working in a Plant Nursery. The participant can opt to focus on one of these, or spread their time across the three areas. Placements will be based at either or both ActivGardens’ sites - The People’s Community Garden (PCG), on Maidenhall Allotments, and at Chantry Walled Garden (CWG), in Chantry Park. Plant nursery experience is mainly at CWG, but a broad range of experience can be gained at both sites, as detailed below. Learners will be assigned a horticultural mentor, who will settle them in and make their placement as enjoyable and instructive as possible, helping them learn and achieve according to their individual work plan. Learners are expected to commit to attending at least 13 days or the equivalent in hours (91 hours), including the four training sessions, as part of the scheme.

Introductory Training Session

Health and Safety - assessing risk Personal Protective Equipment What is expected of you and what you can expect from us

ActivLivesA Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England and Wales No 7672809

Registered Charity No 1147615

Training session 1: Amenity Garden Maintenance

• Maintenance of - herbaceous borders (Sensory Garden), herb spiral, vegetable plots• Orchard and fruit maintenance - pruning techniques • Gardening for wildlife - ponds, wildflower meadows, insect habitats• Basic construction of garden furniture, composting bays and other garden structures• Use of garden machinery - including mower, trimmers and rotary cultivator• Pests and Disease

Training Session 2: Market Gardening and Enterprise

• Cropping plan• Ensuring good quality production• Indoor cropping• Market links and developing own market and community resource

Training Session 3: Working in a Plant Nursery

• Planning production• Caring for plants under glass• Developing markets and customer liaison at own site• Pests & Disease

How will people benefit?

GardenGATE aims to engage “hard to reach” sectors or people experiencing disadvantage. It will appeal to people who feel they do not have the confidence to access mainstream educational/ training provision or apply for jobs. Learners will have access to horticultural work experience, tailored to their interests, in a welcoming, non-threatening environment.

Horticultural work experience: A range of practical horticultural experience will be offered, relevant to working in a plant nursery or garden centre, horticultural wholesaler, or market garden/ small-scale agricultural business.

Enterprise: Learners can get involved with the ActivGardens’ market enterprise, developing its own market place as well as local food links. They will also be able to gain work experience at ActivGardens' plant nursery.

ActivLivesA Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England and Wales No 7672809

Registered Charity No 1147615

Innovation: Learners will be able to learn about and participate in innovative/ specialist gardening and ways of working eg. permaculture, managing sites for wildlife, heritage gardening.

Public relations: Learners will be able to develop skills around welcoming members of the public, settling in new volunteers, assisting with group visits and helping at events. This experience will develop skills for work in many sectors.

Community development: Learners will contribute to a community resource, helping to maintain and develop the site, while working alongside and helping other people.

Personal development: Learners will develop their self-esteem and build their confidence by playing their part in a team which works with a common sense of purpose to maintain and develop a valued community resource. They can join ActivGardens' management committee - gaining experience of managing the site, and contributing ideas.

Moving forward: Learners will be sign-posted to volunteering, training and job opportunities.

GardenGATE will move people closer to the job market:

• By getting them used to a structured routine and working with procedures/policies in a workplace environment, with a variety of other people

• Through building their skills, experience and confidence, increasing their local knowledge, and by working with and introducing them to partner organisations

If you are interested in this opportunity, or would like further information or an informal chat about taking up a placement, please contact Susannah or Cynthia on 01473 261112. An appointment can then be made for you / your client to look around the gardens and meet staff and volunteers. If your client would then like to take up a work placement, a meeting will be organised for an initial assessment to draw up an individual learning plan and scheme of work at the gardens.

ActivGardens Development Manager Susannah Robirosa (mobile 07530 407302) susannah@activlives.org.uk

ActivLives Finance and Office Manager Cynthia Glinos cynthia@activlives.org.uk

This scheme is financed by the European Union, with match-funding from the Skills Funding Agency. TCHC is the grant co-ordinating body for European Social Fund community Grants in the

ActivLivesA Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England and Wales No 7672809

Registered Charity No 1147615

East of England.

ActivLivesA Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England and Wales No 7672809

Registered Charity No 1147615