‘The Key’ garden is funded by the Homes and Communities Agencies’ (HCA) Places of Change programme, alongside other sponsors Communities and Local Government (CLG) and the London Employers Accord.
Places of Change is an £80 million capital funding programme managed by the HCA, which seeks to improve the services available for people who are homeless and rough sleepers. The programme runs from 2008 to 2011 and funds over 80 projects across England.
The key aim of Places of Change is to bring about a change in the that way homelessness services are delivered, with a clear focus on engagement, empowerment and the provision of education, training and employment focussed activities. Service users will be better able to realise their potential and to develop the skills that will help them make the move into independence.
The garden project
The Key garden project is just one excellent example of the innovative initiatives funded through the programme, demonstrating how the ethos of this positive model is working; from the gradual evolution to the final showpiece garden.
Through their involvement in ‘The Key’, planting and development of the garden, and attendance at the Show itself, at least 120 individuals will have gained new life skills and training, which will enable them to move on with their lives into gainful employment, and have hope for the future.
Other projects
Other flagship projects funded by the Places of Change programme include:
- The ‘Employment Academy’, run by Thames Reach in south London which will act as a hub for services aimed at helping rough sleepers and homeless people into education, training and employment;
- a theatre at YMCA Leicester, currently running as a professional theatre it will offer a full range of jobs from stage management, to lighting design, to box office, and finally to the performing itself;
- and, Crisis Skylight in Oxford, an inspirational learning and activity centre, where people take part in practical and creative workshops, gain new skills and progress into education and employment. Based upon the successful Crisis model in London and Newcastle.
