Our ongoing partnership with YMCA Trinity and our work with young people attending Reparations at WestRaven Community Garden has continued to go from strength to strength.

“Our ongoing partnership with YMCA Trinity and our work with young people attending Reparations at WestRaven Community Garden has continued to go from strength to strength.
A lot of the work the young people have done is to prepare materials or spaces for other groups to use, especially for young children or people with Special Needs. ”

“We always make sure to explain how each task, however basic or dirty, fits into a much bigger picture of community delivery and experience. This sense of their effort supporting the lives of others has gone down really well with many of the YP, and if they return to see what the group has done with a particular, space, say the clearing, painting and repairing of a raised bed, which has then been planted up by a school group, they seem to feel a sense of pride, and have a deeper understanding of what community means and how we each have a role to play to creating society. ”

“The chance to participate or support in something much bigger than themselves, and to see how it takes many tasks by many people to build something gives a sense of purpose. ”

“We have continued to offer basic woodworking skills where appropriate to the young person and guiding them through tool use always creates a conversation about career and work in a way which is led by the young person and opens up possibilities for them, creating a vision about a future, rather than dwelling on past mistakes or present circumstance. We have found that they always finish their final session here with a genuine thank you and comments about what they will be looking forward to.”