KET beneficiaries testimonials

E a Growth Journey Participant

“As a volunteer/Trainee I am finding it very rewarding and well worthwhile. I would recommend it here at the Kent Enterprise Trust, if you would like to learn key skills to further your career chances or to add new skills to your repertoire.”

S  Improving Lives Participant

“Before starting improving lives I didn’t have much confidence, I had no routine and hadn’t been in work for a while. I am so glad I have had the opportunity to do this work experience now as it has helped me massively. The people that work here are friendly, kind and always willing to help.”

TF – Improving Lives Participant

“In the time that I have spent at Links House on the Improving lives Course, I have found the staff and volunteers at the Kent Enterprise Trust to be really supportive and encouraging people. They are always on hand to help with any issues you may have. Their help has made me realise that those things that once might have held me back are not impossible to get round. They are lovely positive people who have given me support and encouragement to try and start my own little business. They have also helped me to boost my confidence and try to overcome my own pain issues and depression by not judging me. They let you do things at your pace. I would truly and wholeheartedly recommend the work of the Trust to anyone looking for employment or for just improving their own life and communication skills and confidence levels in general.”

RS- Improving Lives Participant

“At first I wasn’t too sure how I would get on. After the first day I quickly realized that I was with a good set of people who were easy to get on with. That in mind I became more comfortable talking to each person. With all the bits I done and people I met I can easily say I enjoyed my time here and would recommend anyone lacking in confidence or low self-esteem should take part in one of these courses.”

ED – Improving Lives Participant

“Very friendly. Not intimidating, helpful and kind and reassuring, welcoming and respectful. Lots of opportunities and things to do there and people were treated as individuals. I was able to do my work experience at Whitstable Castle which I enjoy. And take advantage of the training opportunities.”

LS – Growth Journey Participant

“There isn’t many companies/people that would give me the opportunities and trust KET offered and gave me.Thanks to KET I have grown so much as a person and overcome depression, anxiety and issues I didn’t even know were issues until they were gone. Your work experience programme and subsequent voluntary position gave me the confidence I needed in life to rebuild old friendships and offered me hope.”

F – Kent Enterprise Garden Participant

“I have found volunteering at Community Oasis Garden a really rewarding experience. I enjoy being able to collaborate with the other gardeners, as well as help to support other attendees that might not feel so confident in their own abilities. It is a really positive thing to see the garden space becoming a place for people to go to relax, create, and grow things. I think that the potential for the garden is infinite, which makes it a really inspiring thing to be a part of. I am hoping that I can further my skills and knowledge, while also being able to work on my own confidence and gain a career in the sector. “

ZF – Kent Enterprise House Volunteer

“I would like to thank Kent enterprise trust for all the volunteer work they gave me. It really has helped boost my confidence and helped me get a new job after 3 years of no work. Thank you”

 R- Kent Enterprise Gardens Participant “I have benefited quite well from taking part in the Improving Lives Programme. Since joining, I have developed a few new skills. These include working with certain types of plants, carpentry, able to make a fire and how to stay safe while working. This programme has helped me quite a bit and I’ve enjoyed working with some of the other people that participated. I would recommend Improving Lives to anybody currently looking to find work in a garden environment.”

One Year On

An update from KET

We have expanded our garden and practical skills provision at Herne Bay and Canterbury during the last 12 months to enable our beneficiaries to walk or cycle to our services which are now open 4 days a week with thanks to donations, sponsorship and funding.

During the year from April 2018 to March 2019 we supported 57 people, 27 of whom were longstanding volunteers who may be retired or long-term unemployed, 18 were new learners who are not in employment, training or education and 13 were students from Kent University seeking work experience, employability points or fresh air and wellbeing.

Both sites are kindly let to us on a peppercorn rent to engage the community in sustainable organic food growing with demonstrations on tool maintenance and repairs in an inclusive space that is accessible to all by providing the following benefits:

  • A safe environment for vulnerable and potentially vulnerable people.
  • Training and advice from horticulturalists and experienced gardeners.
  • Provision of skill and knowledge that will support into gainful employment.
  • A site to be used by the community for gardening projects.
  • A venue that promotes healthy living, eating and wellbeing.

We extended our outdoor service provision as follows:

  • Allotment Gardening at Herne Bay funded by Henry Smith
  • Grow Wild at Herne Bay funded by Greggs
  • Allotment Gardening at KentCOG funded by Big Lottery
  • Community Kitchen at KentCOG funded by West Kent Housing
  • Wellbeing Wednesdays at KentCOG funded by University of Kent
  • Level 1 Horticulture Traineeships at KentCOG funded by Groundworks
  • Level 2 Horticulture Apprenticeships at KentCOG funded by Colyer-Fergusson
  • Plant Stall and Tuck Shop to provide retail and cash handling experience at Herne Bay and KentCOG

Growing skills, knowledge and plants – June update

Update from KET

KentCOG Community Oasis Garden is growing from strength to strength.  A few weeks ago Kent Enterprise Trust celebrated a year working at the site, restoring it to its former glory.  It is now providing produce to harvest, wellbeing sessions, Level 1 Horticulture Traineeships, Level 2 Horticulture Apprenticeships and work experience with practical skills for students, volunteers and unemployed adults.

The garden is accessible to anyone, all year round, with sessions for training and support by DBS checked Safeguarding Officers and First Aiders on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:00 to 14:00.  We support approximately 12 people per session, from 18-100 years, with retired volunteers mentoring and supporting younger volunteers. Kent Enterprise Trust is a well-established registered charity based in Herne Bay, recognized for changing people’s lives by supporting them with training and mentoring to be able to make a return to part-time or full-time employment.

Our plans for later this year are to build an outdoor classroom, create a sensory garden and plant daffodils with Canterbury In Bloom volunteers, we also have an open day on Wednesday 17 July at Midday where you can meet us, see the garden and find out more about how you can help or join the project with your time, knowledge, plants or donations.

We welcome anyone who is out of work and is interested in volunteering for the first time and willing to learn new skills and gain some work experience or train in horticulture. If you are retired or semi-retired and are free on a Tuesday or Wednesday, want to get fit, make some new friends in a friendly relaxed social environment, gain new experiences or just exchange your gardening knowledge come and join in.

With huge thanks to our training providers and funders, The University of Kent, Big Lottery, Henry Smith, Colyer-Fergusson, Tesco and Earnest Cook. For helping us make this community project the success it is.

The official launch of the KentCOG project

Original post from the the University of Kent News Centre written by Dan Worth.

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A new community garden has opened on the Canterbury campus that is designed to become an outdoor space for staff, students and members of the local community to use for a range of activities.

The Kent Community Oasis Garden (KentCOG) is being developed by the University’s Student Wellbeing and Estates teams in partnership with local charity Kent Enterprise Trust (KET). It is designed to be a collaborative space that anyone can get involved in, whether as an area to unwind and relax or to learn new skills, which is a key focus for KET and its volunteers.

To this end, the garden will provide the opportunity to take part in numerous seasonal initiatives, including growing plants, wildflowers and vegetables, as well as other related activities. The garden is located along the Crab and Winkle pathway to the far east of the Canterbury Campus past the Parkwood accommodation.

The garden is also benefiting in its design from input by Gardeners’ World expert Mark Lane, who lives locally and has provided his services free of charge. In particular, Mark is focusing on the accessibility of the space so that it will be available for as many people as possible to use in the future.

Kent Oasis Garden plaque

Richard Cottam, Head of Facilities Management in the University’s Estates Department, said: ‘The Kent Community Oasis Garden will provide a fun, engaging and educational space for anyone who wants to get involved and we are proud to be able to host it at the University. All are welcome and we hope as many people as possible will take part. We have big plans for the garden in the years ahead and are grateful to everyone who has helped out so far.’

Other organisations taking an active involvement in the garden are the Whitstable and Herne Bay Beekeepers group, as well as Kent Union and its student-run Gardening and Foraging Society.

More information on the garden can be found at the Kent Community Oasis Garden website. Plants have been donated to the garden by the Canterbury Chartham Wyevale Garden Centre and Vincent Nurseries in Herne Bay.

The launch of the garden also fits in with several of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals that the University has pledged to follow.