Jump to content

Young people taking up roles to look after the nation's waterways


Ray T

Featured Posts

PRESS RELEASE

 

8th June 2021

 

YOUNG PEOPLE TAKING UP ROLES TO LOOK AFTER THE NATION’S WATERWAYS

 

Waterways and wellbeing charity Canal & River Trust has welcomed a wave of 47 young people to its regional, construction, and digital marketing teams as part of the government’s Kickstart initiative, funded by the Department for Work and Pensions.

 

In Burnley, Leicester, and Walsall, 23 young people have joined the Trust and will gain experience in waterway care and customer service, including canal and towpath maintenance and a range of ‘green’ environmental projects. Another 22 positions are based with the Trust’s construction teams, where participants will learn heritage skills ranging from masonry, bricklaying, and carpentry, to canal bank protection and towpath resurfacing. A further two participants have joined the Trust’s social media and web content teams to promote the use of canals to waterside communities.

 

The participants started their six-month placements in June 2021.

 

Danny Matley, strategic programmes manager at Canal & River Trust, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to gain valuable experience working on the waterways. Whilst many of the techniques remain similar to when the canals were built, modern methods have also come to play an important role. The participants will be learning both heritage skills and getting involved in topical projects, such as how to ‘green’ the waterways and how to promote them to a wider audience.

 

“We look forward to sharing our skills and will encourage the young people to share their ideas with us. We hope to inspire a new generation of waterways workers, who will have experienced the benefits of being by the water and caring for the canals first-hand.”

 

The Kickstart initiative is a programme for young people aged 16-24 who are claiming Universal Credit and are at risk of long-term unemployment. The programme will support young people to build up their experience and help them move into sustained employment after they have completed their Kickstart-funded role.

 

ENDS

 

For further information, please contact:

Fran Read, national press officer

e fran.read@canalrivertrust.org.uk  m 07796 610 427

 

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 14/06/2021 at 09:06, Heartland said:

This seems to be a good initiative to encourage new blood into the organisation which is in fact a form of apprenticeship. I wonder if some of the traditional skills could be part of the program ?

Is there anyone left at cart that has traditional skills to pass on?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Buck-Passing

Sweeping under the carpet

Ignoring customers

Doing the minimum needed

Lack of planning

 

What else could be added and bearing in mind the present organisational make up ?

 

Changing the character of the waterways

Disposal of heritage assets

 

may be ?

 

But there are skills that need to be passed on 

 

Infrastructure maintenance, blacksmiths skills, making lock gates and paddles, water management and reservoir maintenance

 

It is a list that can go on

 

Waterways staff often were found within the families who worked and lived on the canal. How many cottages are still CRT owned ?

And, of course, the same could be said of the railways, how many railway cottages are lived in by railway workers ? If I remember in the 1970's railway workers used to get a list of job vacancies and from time to time a crossing keeper, complete with house, could be advertised!

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.