New groups started this week on the Skills Builder programme so we had the inevitable paperwork to complete but then did some tool maintenance in the work shed to get active. Later on we got outside and went for a walk with Peak Park Ranger Tom who showed us a valley of old mill stones and told us lots of great stories about the area.
Some of the previous group came this week too as their final week had to be cancelled due to the snow. They all sat their Level 1 Award in Health & Safety test online and all passed!! They'll be getting certicates for this and a Level 1 Award in Skills for Work and Life to take away with them.
One of them said he'd really enjoyed the Skills Builder programme and had learned new skills for both his personal and professional life. He says his wife has noticed a difference in him and he now wants to come back and develop more skills with us and hopes this will help him into employment in the near future. Other people in the group said they felt the programme had helped them improve their confidence, made them feel more positive about themselves and feel more hopeful for their future. One man said he thought it was one of the best things he had ever done and was very pleased that he had stuck at it and completed the course. Several people said the programme had helped them to improve their fitness and they felt good about getting out into the countryside, working with other people and helping to look after countryside sites.
Everyone gave very positive feedback and we're looking forward to working with the new groups. The 8-week programme went very quickly so we've decided to extend it to 12 weeks for the next programme and see how that goes..
