GRADUATES from Groundwork London’s Youth Leadership Programme met last Thursday (11) for a celebration event at Berkeley Group’s development at The Green Quarter in Southall.

It provided an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the 74 participants 

Kalpana Arias, a technologist, guerrilla gardener, urban greening activist and the founder of Nowadays On Earth, a social enterprise, gave the keynote speech and highlighted the importance of young people connecting with nature.

The 14-week leadership programme incorporates weekly skills workshops, social action planning, and a residential.

Young people apply the skills they learn to green spaces, using social action to improve their environment and their own lives, while also learning employability skills and building confidence.  

The cohort from West London College in Southall designed an innovative greenhouse.

All the materials will be recycled and sustainably sourced, and the community will decide how it is used.

Berkeley Foundation and Groundwork London launched their partnership in early 2023, to try to generate a real impact on the lives of young people.