JANUARY 8th 2012 - NEWS FROM PARC NANT-Y-WAUN - THE FRIDAY PROJECT
The following item and photographs was sent in by Joanne Bartlett who is the Nantyglo Communities First Co-ordinator.
The Friday Project involves young people who are on the alternative curriculum program with Blaenau Gwent Education and Communities First volunteers. It is held at Parc Nant-y- Waun Nantyglo on a weekly basis. The project is intergenerational, bringing together people of all ages, with an aim to take part in manual work experience, whist improving the biodiversity and providing informal learning. Ultimately this work has improved the site for public use as well as enabling relationships to build in the community and everyone to learn.
The Friday project’ was born out of consultation with the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW), the Friends of Parc Nant y Waun and Nantyglo Communities First. The aim of the project was to engage young people who are deemed disengaged, to create a wildflower bed in partnership with Communities First volunteers for the Parc. CCW were interested in how the volunteers could encourage sustainability. The project proved to be a great success, with young people and adult volunteers engaging in activities that would help their health, wellbeing and future employability.
To date the young people have created a worm farm, fishing pegs, a bird buffet, painted fences, cleared the pond of weed and much more to improve the habitat for the wildlife and maintain the area for public use. One volunteer has successfully obtained work as a result of his volunteering.