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A team of young unemployed people were given an insight into the real difference that they can make when they gave their time to help transform the garden of a women’s refuge.
The group were tasked with the challenge of overhauling the outdoor area of Wear Valley Women’s Aid in Bishop Auckland as part of a Prince’s Trust personal development course delivered by Stockton Riverside College.
Having helped to transform the overgrown garden into a space where children can now play, fixing the swings and refurbing the playhouse and sitting area, Alex Wade, 19, of Copley, said: “I wasn’t really aware that places like this existed.”
Taking part in The Prince’s Trust Team programme while he waits to start Teesside University in September, he added: “I suppose I have always lived in my own protected little bubble, you sometimes don’t realise that other people aren’t as lucky.”
Wear Valley Women’s Aid is a support service for women and children who have suffered domestic abuse. Providing support, advice and if needed a safe home environment for women and their children to stay, the refuge can accommodate up to six women and 12 children.
Refuge manager, Fiona Nicol, said they jumped at the chance to receive a helping hand from the Prince’s Trust students to spruce up the garden.
“Having a nice space to relax in is going to make a huge difference to our residents,” she said. “We try to replicate a nice family home, to make people feel as comfortable as possible. Having a beautiful garden where people can sit outside will help to achieve that and it means the children will be able to play outside.”
It took the team of young people, aged from 16 to 25, two weeks to transform the garden, raising funds to cover any costs with a supermarket bag pack.
Team leader Lee Manley said: “The community project is a key part of The Prince’s Trust Team programme. It shows the young people that they can make a difference. Many have never done anything like this before or thought about helping the wider community. This project really hit home when they met some of the residents and then saw the children playing in the garden.”
Leah Oxley, 18, from Newton Aycliffe, said: “It was a big job but knowing what it was for kept us going. Once we had cleared the space and cut the grass the children were wanting to come out and play straight away.”
The Prince’s Trust Team programme is a free 12-week personal development course, available to unemployed young people aged 16 to 25. It offers the chance to build confidence and skills by taking part in a variety of tasks and challenges to increase future employment chances.
Stockton Riverside College delivers the course at locations across the region including Bishop Auckland and Darlington. For details visit www.stockton.ac.uk/princes-trust/ or call 01642 865 566.
The group were tasked with the challenge of overhauling the outdoor area of Wear Valley Women’s Aid in Bishop Auckland as part of a Prince’s Trust personal development course delivered by Stockton Riverside College.
Having helped to transform the overgrown garden into a space where children can now play, fixing the swings and refurbing the playhouse and sitting area, Alex Wade, 19, of Copley, said: “I wasn’t really aware that places like this existed.”
Taking part in The Prince’s Trust Team programme while he waits to start Teesside University in September, he added: “I suppose I have always lived in my own protected little bubble, you sometimes don’t realise that other people aren’t as lucky.”Wear Valley Women’s Aid is a support service for women and children who have suffered domestic abuse. Providing support, advice and if needed a safe home environment for women and their children to stay, the refuge can accommodate up to six women and 12 children.
Refuge manager, Fiona Nicol, said they jumped at the chance to receive a helping hand from the Prince’s Trust students to spruce up the garden.
“Having a nice space to relax in is going to make a huge difference to our residents,” she said. “We try to replicate a nice family home, to make people feel as comfortable as possible. Having a beautiful garden where people can sit outside will help to achieve that and it means the children will be able to play outside.”
It took the team of young people, aged from 16 to 25, two weeks to transform the garden, raising funds to cover any costs with a supermarket bag pack.
Team leader Lee Manley said: “The community project is a key part of The Prince’s Trust Team programme. It shows the young people that they can make a difference. Many have never done anything like this before or thought about helping the wider community. This project really hit home when they met some of the residents and then saw the children playing in the garden.”Leah Oxley, 18, from Newton Aycliffe, said: “It was a big job but knowing what it was for kept us going. Once we had cleared the space and cut the grass the children were wanting to come out and play straight away.”
The Prince’s Trust Team programme is a free 12-week personal development course, available to unemployed young people aged 16 to 25. It offers the chance to build confidence and skills by taking part in a variety of tasks and challenges to increase future employment chances.
Stockton Riverside College delivers the course at locations across the region including Bishop Auckland and Darlington. For details visit www.stockton.ac.uk/princes-trust/ or call 01642 865 566.
