North Hertfordshire Homes has launched its fifth Green Team, an initiative to help young people not in employment, education or training learn new skills.

The young people work under professional supervision on landscaping and construction projects, getting the chance to gain a City and Guilds qualification in land-based studies, a Construction Skills Certificate Scheme card and basic first aid training. The young people who take part do so voluntarily and without pay.

A lot of young people have passed through the Green Team over the years. They say how much better this outdoor, practical learning is than traditional schooling which many of them found difficult. That’s why they almost all finish the 13-week course, gain the qualifications and move on to better things.

North Hertfordshire Homes has been so impressed with the results of this initiative, which it runs with its partners Groundwork Hertfordshire, that it created its first social enterprise venture, Shoots & Roots, with one of the star students, Kelvin Batten, who was featured recently as part of our Green Team recruitment drive.

Shoots & Roots provides gardening and landscaping services to companies and individuals while further developing the skills of the Green Team graduates to build their own successful business. They are heavily supported by North Hertfordshire Homes, Groundwork Hertfordshire and other local organisations but as their business grows, they will become more self-sufficient.

The Shoots and Roots business is a good example of the behind-the-scenes work the housing association does to help provide settled communities where people and organisations can thrive. If you would like a quote for some gardening work, call Kelvin and his colleagues on 07834 500829.