1. Canal Learning & Skills – How the canal
environment is being used as a college
Karen Moore
Chief Executive

2. Who we are
The Scottish Waterways Trust works to create
brighter futures for people and places across the
Scottish canals
We do this by creating innovative projects which
connect people with the heritage, wildlife and green
open spaces of the Scottish canals
We inspire people to get active and provide
opportunities for people to improve their health and
mental well-being
Through our projects we increase employment
prospects and strengthen community life

3. canal college
Programme 1 June to September 2013

4. Volunteer Target = 24
(Edinburgh 12 & Falkirk 12)
Volunteers Actually Recruited = 32
Edinburgh
20 Volunteers Recruited
Falkirk
12 Volunteers Recruited
Referral Agencies
Referral Agencies
•Jobcentreplus
•SDS
•Other
•Jobcentreplus
•Previous SWT Projects
•Other

5. Volunteer Mentors

6. EDINBURGH GROUP REVIEW
• Insufficient time and resources available for recruiting and selecting appropriate
volunteers.
• Volunteer attendance has been very patchy with only a few attending regularly. Ave
attendance per day – Edinburgh 4.3 (Falkirk 8.2).
• A significant number have proven difficult to interest and engage in the course topics.
Some were actively disruptive, occasionally hostile and abusive.
•
Few of the volunteers have demonstrated any appetite for classroom-based learning
but did responded more positively to practical tasks.
•
Delays in tackling signature project frustrated volunteers.
•
Difficult to generate any kind of bonding or team spirit in the group. Those who
attended most, communicated least.
•
A number of volunteers were disappointed that the course wasn’t what they
expected.

7. FALKIRK GROUP REVIEW
• Half of Falkirk group recruited from another SWT project (Green Action).
• Approx. 80% of volunteers have a learning or physical disability;
behavioural problems or mental health issues.
• Volunteer attendance has been consistently high with an average of 8
attending each day (81%) Edinburgh 4.3 (61%).
• Most if not all volunteers actively engaged and participated in project
activities and classroom learning workshops.
• Delays in tackling signature project frustrated volunteers.
• Good co-operative, friendly team spirit amongst volunteers.
• A number of volunteers wanted to repeat entire programme but only
two will.

8. Snapshot of activities.

9. Students receiving lifejacket training from
Linton McBurnie of Scottish Canals.
INDUCTION – WATER SAFETY

10. HOW CANALS WORK
This module included classroom-based
talks and hands-on demonstrations.

11. Leamington Lift Bridge demonstration
from Scottish Canals operations staff.
Falkirk Wheel engineering operations
tour and demo by Scottish Canals’
Craig Sear.
HOW CANALS WORK

12. Teaching volunteers wildflower surveying
techniques – quadrat and linear.
NATURAL HERITAGE ACTIVITY

13. Woodland walks provided opportunities to learn about local environments,
different habitats, trees, plants and wildlife. The John Muir Award requires
participants to discover and explore wild places.
NATURAL HERITAGE ACTIVITY

14. Wildflower photography and production of
informative postcards from original photos
taken by students.
NATURAL HERITAGE ACTIVITY

15. Before
After
Practical built heritage raining activity – students learned about water
management; canal drainage; water culverts and their repair and
maintenance.
BUILT HERITAGE ACTIVITY

16. BUILT HERITAGE ACTIVITY

17. BUILT HERITAGE ACTIVITY

18. BUILT & CULTURAL HERITAGE ACTIVITY

19. CULTURAL HERITAGE ACTIVITY

20. Local heritage walk.
Guided walk from The Falkirk
Wheel to the Antonine Wall and
Rough Castle Roman Fort.
CULTURAL HERITAGE ACTIVITY

21. CULTURAL HERITAGE ACTIVITY

22. Volunteers
practicing
interviewing
techniques to explore people’s views of
the canals – past, present and future.
CULTURAL HERITAGE ACTIVITY

23. CALDERS GATEWAY
EDINBURGH SIGNATURE PROJECT

24. HISTORIC LOCK FLIGHT
FALKIRK SIGNATURE PROJECT

25. AWARDS
18
18
12 (Pending)

28. PR

29. RECOMMENDATIONS – PROG. 2
There are still a number of issues that staff face in planning and delivering the
next and subsequent programmes including:
•
Reduce Induction and How Canals Work to 2 days and deliver at The Falkirk Wheel.
•
Better selection and training of mentors.
•
Build in time to deliver employability support to volunteers.
•
Project Co-ordinators will require more PM’s support time for in Programme 2 than is
allocated in budget. Need to find a way to allow PM more than 14 hours to plan,
deliver, monitor, manage and report. Requirement will reduce over time but will still
be significant for Programme 2.
Re-design the Edinburgh Signature project.
Identify other volunteer roles – e.g. a construction supervisor, carpenter, awards
administration
•
•

30. Green Action
Canal Skills Project
Another Year of Progress
August 2012 to August 2013

31. GREEN ACTION PROGRAMMES
• Green Action Falkirk – Mixed group of male and female volunteers of
varying abilities, complex learning and support needs. Recruited from
job centres, schools, colleges and a variety of other support and
advocacy agencies that support young people.
• Green Action Angels – As above but a female-only group (began
20130
• Green Action North Lanarkshire – Similar to Green Action Falkirk, a
mixed group of volunteers recruited primarily via Cumbernauld College.

32. CHALLENGES FACING SOME VOLUNTEERS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
ADHD
Alcohol
Asthma
Autism
Behavioural problems
Brain injury
Bullying
Chaotic lifestyles
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Depression
Dyspraxia
Drug Abuse
Dyslexia
Epilepsy
Hearing impairment
Incomplete schooling
Learning disabilities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mental health issues
Narcolepsy
Sexual abuse
Social isolation
Speech problems
Tourettes
Unstable family backgrounds
+
UNEMPLOYMENT
It remains a difficult time for the young unemployed and the longer they are out of work the more
likely they are to sink into a spiral of disappointment and depression.
One in five unemployed young people claim that finding a job in the next year is "unachievable",
Princes Trust.

33. August – December 2012
Volunteer Target – 24 (Falkirk 12 & NLAN 12)
Volunteers Recruited - 57
Falkirk
21 Volunteers Recruited
NLAN
36 Volunteers Recruited
Various Referral Agencies
Referral Agencies
•Jobcentreplus
•ASSETT
•Forth Valley College
•SAMH
•Carrongrange School
•Community Service
• Autism Scotland
•Other
•Cumbernauld College
•Jobcentreplus
•TCV
•Other
Aug – Dec 2012
Note: Angels programme not
introduced until Jan 2013.

34. Falkirk
Falkirk

35. Falkirk
NLAN

36. Falkirk
Angels

37. Measuring Positive Destinations
Positive Destination Indicators
Definition:
The achievement by a Volunteer in securing one or more of the following: -
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Work
Work Placements
Further Education
Other Volunteering
NCFE Accredited Units
First Aid Training
Other Accredited Training
Jan – Mar 2013

38. Green Action Jan to Mar 2013
Volunteers Recording Positive Destination Indicators (PDI)
A
B
C
D
Total no. of
Volunteers
Total no. of
PDIs Recorded
No. of individual
Volunteers
recording a PDI
Percentage of total
no. of Volunteers
recording a PDI
(some volunteers recorded
multiple PDIs)
71
53
(C/A)
45
63%
Jan – Mar 2013

39. Cost of Being a NEET
young person
A study by Department of Education &
Skills in 2002
The additional resource cost associated with
being NEET is £45,000
The DfES report also sought to examine the
additional cost to government of a NEET. This
was estimated as £52,000

40. Green Action – Savings
to the Economy
 328 young people in total
 93 young people are now in Employment thanks
to Green Action
 £97k per young person saved
 £9,021m saved
 Cost of Green Action - £409k
Cost per young person for a Green Action
programme £1,246 vs £97k if remain NEET