the greenlife project
Partnering with Ingeus, we've been helping people to reduce their chances of re-offending through a specialist programme called 'Greenlife'. Offering tailored, face-to-face support, learners have the opportunity to develop new skills and build in confidence, as they give back to the community through a practical project designed to leave an environmental legacy.
In Durham, kindly hosted by the Alington House Community Association (Chair David Thurlwell pictured above, far left); this project took the form of a garden renovation in the centre of the city. Over 15 months, 18 Ex-offenders joined the team in making the space safe and practical, building raised beds and a seating area for the local community. Of them, 83% passed a unit, 56% achieved a Landscaping qualification and 17% progressed straight into employment.
“The new motivation [through the Greenlife Project] is what helped me get the full time job I have now. I will be using some of the practical skills, like using an impact driver, hand saw and mitre saw to do general DIY around my new house. I’m going to keep on the straight and narrow now as well, now that I have turned my life around, and want to continue doing some voluntary work.”
Learner Feedback (March 2022)
“The best part is feeling that I’ve contributed to something. I’m not just sat at home all day; every task I complete here has a purpose... it’s great to build something for the community.”
Learner Feedback (November 2022)
In Teesside, learners contributed to the building of our community allotment and created an asset for the whole community to enjoy in our adjoining woodland.
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Our Teesside Hub is home to over three acres of protected Broadleaf Woodland, which until recently has been managed, but not really used by Tees Valley Community Church. Learners on The Greenlife Project have changed that, designing and laying a bark-chipping path with timber edging, to create an accessible route through the trees.
Thanks to their efforts, the woodland played host to a Winter Trail. A free family experience where children could safely enjoy explore the Christmas story through willow and wooden displays among the fairy-lit trees.
Pending funding, plans for the future include adding mud kitchens and obstacles, to host forestry-school sessions to local children.
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[Posted March 2023]
Green Life project is part of the CFO3 programme, part-funded by the European Social Fund and delivered by Ingeus in partnership with Three13