Yeovil Team 17
After struggling at school and facing
difficult childhoods, seven young people from Yeovil have joined
The Prince's Trust and turned their lives around through
transforming community gardens.
The majority of the young people faced difficult
backgrounds including bullying, learning difficulties and mental
health issues which led to low self esteem before they signed up to
The Prince’s Trust Team programme, a 12-week personal development
course which gives unemployed young people the skills and
confidence to find work.
As part of the course, the group decided to carry out a
project that would have a positive impact on their community. The
team chose to renovate the gardens of the Yeovil Night Shelter – an
organisation that has been essential to homeless people in the
community. The gardens had been neglected for many years and become
unusable by the staff and residents.
The team decided to transform the gardens into an area that
could be used by residents to learn valuable skills such as
gardening and growing vegetables.
The young people organised fundraising events and persuaded
local businesses to donate materials, raising more than £300 for
the project. They learnt how to work as an effective team,
constructing a seating area, planting a vegetable patch, building a
shed and clearing the overgrown bushes.
An opening ceremony was held for the new gardens which the mayor
attended, showing the team that their efforts were recognised by
the community.
The success of the project has given all the youngsters the
opportunity to recognise their own strengths and confidently go on
to build successful futures. The gardens are now used daily by
staff and residents now have the opportunity to grow their own
vegetables and socialise outside.
Mike Waugh, 20, benefited greatly from the programme and has now
found a job at a local building supplier.
He said:
I was unemployed for seven months before I
joined The Prince’s Trust Team programme. The course not only built
up my confidence but taught me how to work in a team. My current
employers were so impressed that I had taken part in The Prince’s
Trust Team programme that they gave me the job. I’m so proud of
myself, as I never thought I’d be able to do anything
positive.
Champions
We would like to acknowledge the individuals or organisations
who have played a key role in helping these young people achieve
success through their Prince’s Trust programme.
- Tim Day, Bridgwater College
- Michelle Owens, Bridgwater
College