GardenGATE 2 is an exciting scheme, financed by the European Union, offering free
horticultural work placements at ActivGardens’ projects in Ipswich. The placements will
enable people over the age of 19 without employment to access a wide range of
horticultural experience and training, within flexible hours. It follows the success of a similar
scheme last year, which saw 13 people learn a range of skills across two garden sites; of
these participants, one went into full-time employment and one enrolled on a full-time
course in horticulture at a local further education college. Four others continued to
volunteer at our garden projects, with one participant winning an Ipswich in Bloom ‘Student
of the Year’ award.
GardenGATE consists of an induction session with our lead trainer, when the learner will
have a chance to discuss what they would like to get out of the placement, and agree their
individual learning plan and scheme of work at the gardens. There will be an introductory
training session covering health and safety and readiness for work, and three further
training sessions, each focussing on a key area of horticulture. The learner will have a
chance to assess their placement mid-way through the scheme, and will attend an exit
interview to reflect on their experience at the gardens and discuss future plans.
The three main areas of work experience offered are: Amenity Garden Maintenance;
Market Gardening and Enterprise; and Working in a Plant Nursery. The participant can opt
to focus on one of these, or spread their time across the three areas. Placements will be
based at either or both ActivGardens’ sites - The People’s Community Garden (PCG), on
Maidenhall Allotments, and at Chantry Walled Garden (CWG), in Chantry Park. Plant
nursery experience is mainly at CWG, but a broad range of experience can be gained at both
sites, as detailed below. Learners will be assigned a horticultural mentor, who will settle
them in and make their placement as enjoyable and instructive as possible, helping them
learn and achieve according to their individual work plan. Learners are expected to commit
to attending at least 13 days or the equivalent in hours (91 hours), including the four
training sessions, as part of the scheme.
Introductory Training Session
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Health and Safety - assessing risk
Personal Protective Equipment
What is expected of you and what you can expect from us
ActivLives
A Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England and Wales No 7672809
Registered Charity No 1147615
Training session 1: Amenity Garden Maintenance
• Maintenance of - herbaceous borders (Sensory Garden), herb spiral, vegetable plots
• Orchard and fruit maintenance - pruning techniques
• Gardening for wildlife - ponds, wildflower meadows, insect habitats
• Basic construction of garden furniture, composting bays and other garden structures
• Use of garden machinery - including mower, trimmers and rotary cultivator
• Pests and Disease
Training Session 2: Market Gardening and Enterprise
• Cropping plan
• Ensuring good quality production
• Indoor cropping
• Market links and developing own market and community resource
Training Session 3: Working in a Plant Nursery
• Planning production
• Caring for plants under glass
• Developing markets and customer liaison at own site
• Pests & Disease
How will people benefit?
GardenGATE aims to engage “hard to reach” sectors or people experiencing disadvantage. It
will appeal to people who feel they do not have the confidence to access mainstream
educational/ training provision or apply for jobs. Learners will have access to horticultural
work experience, tailored to their interests, in a welcoming, non-threatening environment.
Horticultural work experience: A range of practical horticultural experience will be offered, relevant
to working in a plant nursery or garden centre, horticultural wholesaler, or market garden/ smallscale agricultural business.
Enterprise: Learners can get involved with the ActivGardens’ market enterprise, developing its own
market place as well as local food links. They will also be able to gain work experience at
ActivGardens' plant nursery.
ActivLives
A Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England and Wales No 7672809
Registered Charity No 1147615
Innovation: Learners will be able to learn about and participate in innovative/ specialist gardening
and ways of working eg. permaculture, managing sites for wildlife, heritage gardening.
Public relations: Learners will be able to develop skills around welcoming members of the public,
settling in new volunteers, assisting with group visits and helping at events. This experience will
develop skills for work in many sectors.
Community development: Learners will contribute to a community resource, helping to maintain
and develop the site, while working alongside and helping other people.
Personal development: Learners will develop their self-esteem and build their confidence by playing
their part in a team which works with a common sense of purpose to maintain and develop a valued
community resource. They can join ActivGardens' management committee - gaining experience of
managing the site, and contributing ideas.
Moving forward: Learners will be sign-posted to volunteering, training and job opportunities.
GardenGATE will move people closer to the job market:
• By getting them used to a structured routine and working with procedures/policies in a
workplace environment, with a variety of other people
• Through building their skills, experience and confidence, increasing their local knowledge,
and by working with and introducing them to partner organisations
If you are interested in this opportunity, or would like further information or an informal
chat about taking up a placement, please contact Susannah or Cynthia on 01473 261112.
An appointment can then be made for you / your client to look around the gardens and
meet staff and volunteers. If your client would then like to take up a work placement, a
meeting will be organised for an initial assessment to draw up an individual learning plan
and scheme of work at the gardens.
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ActivGardens Development Manager Susannah Robirosa (mobile 07530 407302)
susannah@activlives.org.uk
ActivLives Finance and Office Manager Cynthia Glinos cynthia@activlives.org.uk
This scheme is financed by the European Union, with match-funding from the Skills Funding
Agency. TCHC is the grant co-ordinating body for European Social Fund community Grants in the
East of England.
ActivLives
A Company Limited by Guarantee, registered in England and Wales No 7672809
Registered Charity No 1147615