DANDARA employees have been brushing up on their green skills following a volunteering stint with Edinburgh-based homelessness prevention charity, Cyrenians.
The developer, which is working on a range of projects from Kirkliston to Wallyford, paid Cyrenians’ Green Skills Centre a visit and spent the day helping out with farm tasks such as weeding and laying woodchip pathways.
Cyrenians was established in 1968 by a group of students who wanted to change how those experiencing homelessness were treated. The organisation’s’ mission today is to tackle the causes and consequences of homelessness, deliver targeted services which focus on early prevention and early intervention and by influencing changes in legislation and policy.
The Dandara team visited one of Cyrenians’ earliest established initiatives across Edinburgh and the Lothians – the Green Skills Centre. Offering an outdoor learning environment for young people currently unsupported by the mainstream education system and traditional career pathways, the facility provides a space to learn skills, build relationships with the community, and connect with the natural environment.
Set over eight acres of land, the centre also features a working market garden, with produce harvested there sold to local cafes and restaurants.
The Green Skills Centre market garden coordinator, Andie, said, “The Green Skills Centre is aimed at providing young people the skills to enter employment. It’s a great place not only for them to work on these hard skills, but soft skills too – building relationship with others and working on their own confidence.
“There’s a lot going on here at the centre; working bees, growing tunnels and an apple orchard to name a few. Having corporate volunteers visit is a great asset to us as there is so much to get done here at the farm. Having the extra manpower to do tasks like weeding and laying woodchip allows us to get to work implementing the services for the young people who need them.”
Lee Ogg, MD at Dandara Scotland, commented, “In the latter half of 2024, here at Dandara Scotland, we’ve been focused on encouraging our team to make the most of volunteering days offered as part of their contracts and to engage with the local community in meaningful ways. Taking part in volunteering initiatives, like the one with Cyrenians, allows us to give back while learning more about the vital work being done to prevent homelessness and support young people.”
