Air Miles for Trees Partnership Scheme
At SHD, we think the work that Blend Youth Project are doing is brilliant! We have previously received various wooden creations from the project, from benches to coasters to pens. We’ve now decided to support the project further with representative donations of our air miles.
Our first donation has seen us donate 175 trees to the project and we can’t wait to see the orchard blooming!
About Blend Youth Project
Established in 2007, Blend Youth project represents the youth provision of the charity Valley CiDS. They provide a range of youth work activities, and support services for young people in their local communities, which are designed not only to create safe spaces for young people, but also provide valuable signposting and support.
Their focus is on providing holistic, person-centred, and needs-led support for young people which focuses on their strengths and potential using that as a foundation and starting point to broaden horizons and raise aspirations.
About the Education Provision
Blend Youth Project also provides education and training opportunities for young people who may be disengaged with learning or struggling to access mainstream education.
They adopt a holistic, practical and innovative approach to education that seeks to promote the personal, social and academic development of young people. Blend Youth Project recognises that many young people face challenges and barriers to learning beyond their control and their education & training provision responds to this through offering personalised learning programmes designed to re-engage and inspire young people to achieve their full potential. Blend Youth Project offers a range of pre & post-16 qualification programmes across five delivery sites including the Enterprise Unit, and the wonderful Turner Farm Project.
About Turner Farm
Turner Farm is a beautiful, 48-acre site, providing a variety of learning environments and a wealth of opportunities for students to try different vocational activities. Well off the beaten track, with term-time weekdays devoted solely to alternative education, the only disturbances are from the local wildlife, which takes advantage of the range of habitats, including grassland, wetland, a large pond, wooded areas, fruit & vegetable gardens and domestic/farm animal paddocks.
Students can be involved in hands-on animal care; helping to look after our alpacas, pygmy goats, sheep, ducks, chickens and a variety of smaller animals. There are also fencing, tree-planting and horticulture activities to take part in, pond maintenance and basic construction projects. Higher level learners are encouraged to participate in planning and development, supporting our ever-evolving site projects such as the Rural Crafts Camp (with an outdoor, wood-fire cooking area already established), Woodland Coppicing Field and planned Straw Bale Learning Centre.
As well as gaining valuable experience and an understanding of potential future learning pathways, students can also access a range of accredited learning pathways and qualifications such as City & Guilds Land Based Studies, ASDAN Employability and Animal Care.
