Groundwork Devon & Cornwall

Our Work

Please click on the links on the menu bar to the left of the page for more information on our activity in Devon & Cornwall.

Community Development Workers – Building Stronger Neighbourhoods

 

By supporting and creating the capacity for people to manage their own communities through networks of individuals with a shared vision and purpose, we aim to change lives.

Groundwork delivered the Blatchcombe community development programme providing local people with the support, skills and expertise to tackle issues which affected their quality of life within their neighbourhood.  

Through consultation within the Blatchcombe community we found that there was a lack of support and provision for young people.  Reports from Community Police Support Officers and Street Wardens showed that on the evenings when there was no provision of activities for young people there was an increase in anti social behaviour issues.

The Project addressed this by providing a combination of outreach youth work, and support to the community to work with service providers and volunteers, to deliver more coordinated services for young people.

An example of one of the many activities delivered were Graffiti Squad and Art Days, where young people supported by Youth Workers blitzed the area of graffiti and encouraged younger residents to express themselves in a positive way by creating two pieces of impressive art work on the Foxhole Community Centre.

Lisa Cooke; Community Police Support Officer

“Groundwork have been the backbone of the community by bringing the community together via the Foxhole Action Group; empowering/giving them the enthusiasm to fulfil their needs”.

 

 

Landscape Architects – reconnecting people with their surroundings

 

Groundwork aims to deliver land improvement projects designed to meet the needs and demands of local people in the areas that we support. 

To this end, Groundwork secured funding from The People’s Millions in a contest launched by The Big Lottery Fund where members of the public voted for Safe & Sound, a 1.5 million programme to support 25 projects across England, Wales and Northern Ireland aimed at helping young people and adults work together to turn local eyesores into safe and attractive spaces.

Groundwork Devon & Cornwall’s project was to work with local partners to provide much needed sport and play improvements to the Mayfield Recreation Ground in Newquay, which included local residents and young people working hard to create a colourful mural for the revamped park.

Thirteen young people (aged 3 to 13), and their parents and relatives spent two days having fun getting creative and covered in paint, to produce a fantastic mural for all to enjoy for years to come.

Cllr George Edwards said  “I was surprised and pleased to see how many children helped. A lot of ideas, enthusiasm and effort went into it, which was lovely to see in this time of local apathy.”

Employment and Training practitioners– developing skills and helping people find work

Removing the barriers to employment, and enabling individuals to fully realise their talents and potential is central to Groundwork’s philosophy in working with people.

Case in point is the very successful Horticultural Healing Project that last year helped a considerable number of people to develop their confidence, skills and experience.

Based in Plymouth's historic Royal Willam Yard, the project offers horticulture as a form of therapy to people with mental health illness and / or acquired brain injury.  Recent projects completed by clients include construction of a wild life pond in the Groundwork garden.

Its these type of team efforts that build people’s confidence both in themselves and others, and eventually gives them the push to rebuild their own lives.  Horticultural Healing  is an inspirational example of how we can value everyone’s potential contribution in our communities and to offer people the opportunity to rebuild their lives

“The project has made me a lot stronger physically and mentally.  Before coming here, I was in a very depressed state and physically wrecked.  After being with the project for a couple of months, I started to become more assertive and I am getting on with my life.”

 

Education practitioners – supporting sustainable schools and delivering learning and citizenship in and out of the classroom

Groundwork believes educating people of all ages to develop a greater understanding of the shaping of their local communities and environment is essential in ensuring future generations act as custodians of their communities.

One such project is Past on Your Doorstep, the Future in Your Hands, which supports young people in exploring how the defence/maritime industries have shaped the physical, social and economic history of the City of Plymouth.

It investigates the reasons why Plymouth has become such a focus for the defence sector and how this may affect future growth and regeneration of the city. In this way it considers how learning from the past can be used to improve our understanding of the present day. It aims to learn lessons for industry, environment and community and to increase a sense of belonging and connection between people and place, between past and future.

The Tudor Explorers strand of the project investigates how famous figures in Tudor history such as Sir Francis Drake, and Sir John Hawkins were at the forefront of England’s exploration of the world. Through games and drama the pupils investigate the adventures and dangers of exploration and how England became involved in the transatlantic slave trade.  The young people also learned about how slavery is still an issue today in some parts of the world and how they could be involved in campaigning against it.

"Taking part in the Tudor Explorers workshops was a fabulous experience for my class as it was in depth and gave them a 'hands-on' experience of Tudor life.  In particular,  the activities about slavery then and now really helped them think about other people's lives and our responsibilities to them."

Lyn Grant, teacher of year 3, Marlborough Primary School, Devonport, Plymouth

Business advisors – helping organizations prosper by managing their impact on the environment

Environmentally friendly and sustainable businesses are usually more financially profitable.  That’s why Groundwork Devon & Cornwall provides business support through a team of experienced environmental advisors, and encourage businesses to exchange information that can directly benefit their economic bottom line whilst reducing their social and environmental impacts.

A good example was Groundwork bringing together businesses on a Totnes industrial estate to initiate the sharing of waste and resources through a ‘business swapshop’.

Cardboard was the most popular rubbish, with many companies having a ready supply of unwanted boxes, matched immediately with an apparently limitless demand for packing and for horse bedding.  Trading was fierce for the wide range of spare resources on offer including 20,000 biodegradable carrier bags, and a fork lift truck!  The success of this session shows that businesses are keen to reduce their environmental impacts and promote cross-business efficiency and trade.

"It was great to meet other business people during the swapshop, many of whom I pass on a daily basis without knowing who they are. To be able to pool resources and to utilise waste, labour & many other commodities together is invaluable. To find that cardboard boxes are being thrown out, when I drive 50 mile to purchase boxes for my business, seems madness - however I now have agreements in place to take boxes form businesses that throw theirs away - and are also charged for the privilege. I urge other business people to attend the next swapshop - you never know how you are going to save money!"

Alan Johnson of Pedricks Removals & Logistics

 

Youth workers – helping young people realize their potential.

Realising young peoples potential, harnessing young peoples energy, and giving them opportunities to become a full and active part of society is central to the work that Groundwork undertakes.

One of our clients L.H, first got in touch with Groundwork and the Restormel Youth Works Project when he heard about the basketball night we were running,  having stopped playing for a local team after experiencing racism.

He started to travel from St Austell to the Fourways Youth Centre and brought people with him to play on a regular basis. Through his involvement with basketball we discovered he had an interest in music, so we invited him to come to the Cornwall Youth Music Action Zone sessions.

He started as a participant but it soon became clear that his skills meant that he had a lot to offer this session. Before long he had signed up to work as a volunteer on these sessions and was helping younger members learn new skills.

As LH was homeless, Youth Works put the money up for him to be housed with Turnaround, a Christian housing project in Newquay.  To this day, L.H. continues as a volunteer assistant on the programme and is now involved with both The Princess Trust and New Deal for Musicians.

 ‘Youth Works have been very helpful to me. Without their help I would not have got into the Turnaround project and would probably still be homeless.’ 

Groundwork Devon & Cornwall
1st Floor, Lyster Court
Queen Alexandra Square
The Millfields
Plymouth    PL1 3JB

T : 01752 217721
F : 01752 201680
E : Enquiries