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Growing Youth - High Schools

 

Growing Youth High Schools provides high school pupils with positive outdoor learning opportunities in horticulture, construction and landscaping at community gardens across the city. 

We partner with high schools, and with Edinburgh Council’s Additional Support for Learning Service (ASLS) to support neurodiverse pupils and pupils who are struggling with mainstream education. 

We also run workshops for school leavers, who are on the verge of leaving school and would benefit from practical training and work experience.

Led by experienced Workshop Leaders and supported by Personal Support Assistants, pupils develop practical skills in joinery and landscaping through the construction of timber sheds, poly tunnels, and vegetable growing beds. Some also gain skills in horticulture, growing fruit and vegetables which are used in the preparation of community meals, and support local food pantries.

Growing Youth helps to improve pupils’ confidence and wellbeing as well as their skills in maths, communication and team working.

 

Hear from some of our pupils:

“I like the building work and helping the newer members of the group and getting experience of working on a site”.

“I’ve learned how to use a Mitre saw and met new people and learned how to work with them”.

 

Hear what Cindy (the PSA from Hutchison) thinks about how the Growing Youth team have been getting on…

“There’s been one or two who have been a little anxious about the first session, but once those barriers come down, they start getting to know each other and they’re making friendships, not just in the garden but outside in the community as well. It’s amazing! All the kids that are coming to this group are coming back after Easter because they want to”.

 

Click the links below to read more about what pupils have been getting up to in Edinburgh’s community gardens!

 

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