Grow Employment

A ten-week paid work placement programme offering meaningful skills development with local employers.

Grow Employment is a paid work experience programme for 16–24 year olds who need support to build confidence, develop practical skills, and form positive working habits. It’s designed for young people facing challenges such as poor mental health, limited social connections, or other barriers to employment.

Over 10 weeks, trainees work part‑time with one of Grow’s approved employer partners and earn while learning. To take part, participants must first complete our Grow Training programme to develop the foundations needed to step into work feeling ready and supported.

“it has benefitted my confidence and social skills. it has also given me work skills and experience.” – Grow Employment trainee

Skills development

The programme enables trainees to develop practical gardening work experience while also learning soft skills beneficial to their wider employability, such as time-management, resilience, communication and teamwork. 

Some of the gardening skills our young people learn and carry out include:

  • Pruning
  • Weeding
  • Mowing and strimming
  • Planting
  • Plant selection
  • Path levelling

As part of Grow Employment, all trainees come together for weekly training sessions that cover wellbeing support, employment skills, and horticultural training. 

Programme inclusivity

Our aim is to make our programmes as inclusive as possible for young people facing challenges related to health, disabilities, and poverty. We incorporate low-impact gardening activities and offer accommodations for those who may not be able to engage in physically demanding tasks, such as lifting or using tools. Additionally, to address the rising cost of living, we provide support for travel expenses, snacks, refreshments, uniforms, and personal protective equipment (PPE).

Interested in becoming an employer partner?

We are interested in partnering with local green and horticulture employers to provide young people with valuable work experience, develop their skills, and enhance their opportunities to make positive strides in life.

Find out about partnering with Grow and hear from other employers.

Find out more

Grow Employment (formerly Grow Gardeners) is supported by the South Yorkshire Violence Reduction Unit

More about Grow Employment

Take a look at our videos below to learn more about the programme:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiHQYV2cNKY