“Working in the Community Garden enables people to gain new knowledge of local natural places, and the encouragement for many to move on to gain a formal qualification”
Terry, Supervisor
Our Travel Buddies are encouraging people with a learning disability to be able to travel independently
Caerphilly
For additional details of our projects across Caerphilly, search for ‘Growing Space’ on Dewis Cymru or Infoengine
Horticulture and Men’s Shed - Hafod Deg
Our project at Rhymney is located in the grounds of Hafod Deg Resource Centre. On this site participants are involved in horticulture therapy, working in the open ground, but also in the polytunnel. Classroom based activities include a range of accredited and non-accredited training, which covers a range of horticulture, vocational and employability skills.
A “men in sheds” project also runs during the week that encompasses carpentry skills within the gardens in a specially adapted workshop. Participants also get involved in upcycling products.
You can find some of the items made for sale in our shop in Tredegar House.
Supervisor - Terry Rowlands:
Horticulture - Ty-Siriol
Our horticulture project is located on St Martins Road, half a mile from Caerphilly town centre. Participants can access a wide range of training opportunities on this site, where you will find them working in the log cabin and commercial poly tunnel. As this site has no toilet facilities, staff and participants were involved in building a ‘Composting Eco toilet’, with funding from Robert Price Builders and Caerphilly Communities First.
Supervisor - Terry Rowlands:
Learn and Grow - Active Inclusion Wales
This project is delivered across Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly and Torfaen
Our partnership project with Learn and Grow helps to extend our service by providing flexible support for people aged 25+ with mental health conditions, and who are economically inactive and long term unemployed. The project helps to build their confidence and motivation, and improve their basic, social and communication skills through accredited and non-accredited training and support. These interventions help develop individuals on their journey to recovery and progression onto work experience, voluntary work and sustainable employment.
Project Lead - Helena Lane:
No More Barriers
This project is delivered across Gwent, and has 2 strands to it:
Consultation – Growing Space provides supported employment opportunities for our Gwent Ambassadors who are individuals with a learning disability. Their role involves engaging with individuals with a learning disability, staff and organisations across Gwent to report on what matters to people, what is working and what needs more work in Gwent.
Employment – our employment model is for people with mental health, autism or a learning disability. This provides support to break down the barriers to employment, and provides a bespoke, planned journey towards employment opportunities. Referrals into this project can have support with developing a CV, and work related qualifications, and help with supported volunteering, supported work placements, and supported employment.
Currently this team provides supported work placements in each of our social enterprise schemes at Brynmawr Paint Shop, Happy Cwtch Café and Tredegar House Shop.
Support Worker – Sally-Ann Spicer:
Support Worker – Rachel Parker:
Ambassador Support - Rachel Parker:
Travel Buddy Scheme
This project is delivered across Gwent, and has 2 strands to it:
Travel Buddy Trainer – Growing Space offers paid supported employment to individuals with a learning disability, autism or mental health who are confident in using public transport. Travel Buddies on this project are paid on a sessional basis, at the National Living Wage to provide a peer mentor role in supporting independent travellers wanting to gain experience and confidence in travelling on their own. Travel Buddies go through a training plan, and are individually matched to those referring in for support with travel.
Independent Traveller – Many individuals with a learning disability, autism or mental health are not confident in using public transport on their own, but want to learn to be more independent. Individuals who refer in to this service for support are buddied with a Travel Buddy, who trains them, and supports them to become more confident with travelling independently.
This is a bespoke service and therefore the number of sessions required varies.
Project Co-ordinator – Sadie Rogers: