Essex County Council (ECC) is working in partnership with the Essex Probation Service and the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTVC) to give offenders, as part of their court order, the opportunity to carry out unpaid environmental work at various gateway sites across the county.
From the start of September through to March 2010, offenders from Colchester, Chelmsford and Basildon will work three days a week on projects such as maintaining special verges where wildlife flourishes, clearing back bushes, and improving access to coastal paths.
All participants will receive an NVQ Level 1 in Communication and Teamwork and they can potentially work towards a City and Guilds certificate in Highways Management, making their CV more attractive to employers.
Councillor Tracey Chapman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Waste said: “It is pleasing to see offenders giving back to the community and gaining valuable work experience at the same time and I hope that working on the project boosts their potential employability.”