Customers with TNG in Oldham gain work experience through helping the community

The community of Norman Street in Middleton started the summer with a new neighbourhood garden, thanks to the hard work of young people participating in an employment programme in Oldham.

TNG, a national welfare to work provider, delivers the Community Task Force (CTF) programme in Oldham, offering unemployed 18-24 year olds community-based work experience. Its aim is to strengthen their employability and work-related skills and increase their chances of gaining sustained employment.

The residents of Norman Street had recently acquired a patch of derelict land that had been created when a row of terrace properties had been demolished, and turned to TNG for help converting it into a shared space for relaxation and socialising. The project was the perfect opportunity for CTF customers to develop and improve practical skills they could use in the future, while providing a garden to benefit the local community.

TNG Project Supervisors Steve Cartledge and Chris Stead taught the CTF team how to safely and correctly use electrical tools, hammers and saws. They also demonstrated how to lay concrete slabs and build raised flower beds, and supervised the team while they used their new skills to erect the gate and fence surrounding the new gardens.

Adam Ward, 19, from Oldham, values the opportunities his work with TNG has provided. He said, "TNG has given me the chance to take part in a project that has given me new skills and practical experience that can contribute to my CV. It was a great feeling to know that I wasn’t only helping myself, but helping the community as well."

Ms Davina Unsworth wrote to the CTF team on behalf of the residents of Norman Street to express their gratitude. She said, "The team carried out the work in an extremely professional manner. I had some concerns about using such a young workforce however they were completely unfounded; they were extremely hardworking, polite, and showed respect for where they were. I hope they are justly proud of what they have created."

View photos from the CTF project in Oldham, click here