Education and Employment

• Education and Employment
• This group’s primary aim is to raise local employment opportunities especially for young people;
• We work with the local schools to debate and raise awareness of climate change with sustainable living at the core;
• We aim to encourage local employment and reduce the ‘commuter culture’ and
• Raise awareness of local employment opportunities and careers for school leavers.

Our main aim is to increase local employment opportunities for local people. Our subsidiary and supporting aims are to:

· Work with John O’Gaunt (JoG) school across a range of projects with sustainable living at their core

· Reduce the “commuter culture” in Hungerford by focusing on local employment

· Strengthen links between Hungerford business community and the schools

· To raise awareness of rural careers and motivate school leavers to consider local employment

Short-term actions

· Work with JoG careers advisor to identify practical application of current curriculum skills particularly focussing on JoG status as Technology College.

·Work with Hungerford Chamber of Commerce and JoG school to assess the current situation

· Identify and link with potential employers and encourage and support these local businesses to offer relevant work experience

· Trial a Careers Fair at JoG. An opportunity for dialogue between potential employers and school leavers. Nothing of this type currently exists.

· Re-establish connection with the Youth Council to get their input and enthusiasm for sustainable ideas

Medium/Long-term actions

· Support the JoG School plan to build a scientific research garden with appropriate educational facilities on the school premises. This would require funding work, consultation and community access proposals as well as dovetailing both curriculum and community requirements

·Support JoG’s aim of becoming a regional centre for applied science and horticulture diplomas by establishing long term links with a network of local employers

· Build on existing collaborations with the JoG’s twin school in Ghana; focusing on the two countries different approaches to sustainable living.

·Facilitate educational visits to farms and other rural business

· Link with HEAT food group to apply a practical backdrop to educational initiatives

We can be contacted at