Growing Options
At the Thrive Trunkwell Garden Project we are helping 20 young people, aged 15 or 16 years from seven schools in the Berkshire area. In addition to a break from their classroom routine, they have the chance to learn horticulture skills and can study towards various levels of NPTC Skills for Working Life in Horticulture.
Teachers who work with these young people often struggle to find ways of keeping their pupils interested, one teacher told us:
"I have been trying to find alternative learning activities to raise self-esteem and confidence for a number of students over recent years. This was like a gift out of the blue. The fact that it leads to an accredited qualification was wonderful."
The students benefit from one to one support and tasks include sowing seeds, growing and harvesting vegetables and herbs, and learning how to use tools safely. They also take responsibility for selling plants at Thrive's shop at the Trunkwell Garden Project. All the activities at Thrive help them to:
- work in a team of people their own age and make new friends
- work and communicate more easily with adults
- develop greater independence and maturity
- feel they are achieving and gaining confidence
- learn a new hobby and have options for further study and the possibility of a rewarding career
The fact that all the students on the programme are keen to attend Thrive's sessions and that more than two-thirds are now very interested in gardening, means that parents and teachers are keen to endorse the programme.
A teacher commented: "Growing Options has helped Tim sort out some clear career ideas. School was going badly and Thrive was a lifeline. We were looking at continuing with a horticultural course at the Berkshire College of Agriculture and realised he was too well qualified for the introductory course! His self–esteem and confidence have increased so much – Tim can now do more than he thought possible."
Simon is a student on the programme and his parents are delighted by his progress:
"He loves Tuesdays, the highlight of the week. It makes the four days he has to go to school more bearable. We chat each week about what Simon has been doing. He has benefited greatly from attending Thrive... thank you to you all."
Thrive wants to build on the success of Growing Options and to give more young people access to the option of an outdoor classroom. So, from September this year, we hope to start a new vocational training programme in horticulture and involve a wider age range of young people aged 14 to 19 years.
For more information on our Growing Options programme, please contact or call us on 0118 988 5688.
Increased Flexibility Programme
This programme is run in partnership with Thames Valley University and the aim is to help young people with challenging behaviour to learn new skills, gain vocational qualifications and build their self-confidence through a vocational training programme.
Pupils aged 14 to16 years old work through a training and work experience programme, which is tailor-made to each pupil’s particular needs, and they study for a Level 1 National Vocational Qualifications in Horticulture. After a day at Thrive, the students write a ‘Reflective Journal’. Here are some of their comments:
Things they learned and enjoyed - "food", "the importance of taking care",
"how to properly plant a hanging basket" , "planting my garden" and "doing my NVQ"
Things they found difficult - "keeping quiet" and "getting back to work on time"
Things to do differently - " think more carefully about what I plant"
and "know what I'm planting" .