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Transform Gardener

Volunteer Midlothian (VM)
VO62110

The Transform Gardening Project is a supported volunteering opportunity for young people aged 15 to 24 who would like to volunteer in a gardening or landscaping capacity.

If you would like to volunteer in the community garden you will need to complete an application form, which involves agreeing to our terms and conditions. Once we receive this you will be invited to come along to the garden, meet the coordinator and take part in induction training. The garden is open on Thursdays from 1.00 p.m. - 3.00 p.m. we expect a minimum commitment of one hour, anything more is up to you! There will always be a garden coordinator on hand to offer support and guidance.

Training
We want all of our volunteers to feel safe and supported while they garden with us. Before volunteering you will join the garden coordinator for a garden tour and safety talk that covers what we expect from volunteers, our guidelines as well as safe gardening practises. Once you have been through induction training, we will get you started in the garden.

Here is some of the work you may find yourself doing

Planning - You will be helping us plan gardening sessions and learning about what is planted throughout the seasons.

Sharing - It’s not just all about gardening, we will share in lots of other outdoor activities, like the big garden bird watch with the RSPB and the big butterfly count.

Tending - This includes, planting, pruning, watering, weeding, mowing, composting, feeding, harvesting.

Trying - You will be able to taste and try lots of what we grow and learn lots of new skills.

Making - We like to encourage lots of wildlife to the garden so you might find yourself making a bug hotel or birdbox.

Mending - There’s a lot more than plants in the garden to look after, we need to maintain, fix and paint fences, planters and raised beds.

Learning - Not only will you learn lots of new gardening skills, previous volunteers have found they have increased their confidence, their communication and team working skills, they have also learned how to plan and problem solve. This has helped young people apply for jobs, given them something interesting to write about on their CV and talk about in interviews.

Interested? Please get in touch with carey@volunteermidlothian.org.uk for further information and an application form.

Experience required

No experience or qualifications required, just a willingness to take part.

Travel details

Community Garden in Dalkeith Country Park and an Allotment at Vogrie Country Park. Bus fares reimbursed and transport can be provided if not on bus route.