Grow Gardener Assistant
Age - 26
Ed
After spending a few years working in call centres following university, Ed was eager to transition into a role focused on sustainability and the environment.
Her placement at Grow in Sheffield provided the hands-on outdoor experience she has been seeking and inspired dreams of one day running her own community green space.
After seeing an advert for the New to Nature programme on social media, Ed was drawn to Grow, a local organisation with a focus on creating accessible opportunities for young people. As the Grow Gardener Assistant, Ed developed a variety of skills, blending her previous experience with young people with new skills she gained in gardening.
Her responsibilities, including leading career coaching sessions for young people, helped her grow in confidence and improve her leadership abilities. She was surprised by just how much impact she was able to make in her role.
'“A lot of people want to work in something impactful, that has some way of giving you something that you can do when you feel panicked about the climate and the environment. I think it’s good to feel involved, to feel like you can have an impact.”
The role offered a variety of activities including outdoor practical work, which was valuable to Ed, who envisions a future where she owns a community green space that creates opportunities for people to grow food.
Through the New to Nature programme, Ed loved getting to spend more time outdoors and sharing that experience with others. Until Ed achieves her ambitions of creating a community garden, Ed hopes to continue connecting with people and working in outdoor spaces.
New to Nature is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund as part of the celebrations to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and the King’s Coronation, delivered through a partnership of Groundwork, The King’s Trust, Disability Rights UK, Mission Diverse and the Youth Environmental Service.
