Southern Task Educational Trust

Registered charity No. 296803

Trustees:  David Ure, Chairman - John Faulder - James Hodgson - Elizabeth Millar 

In the early 1980s a group of concerned individuals in north London wanted to make a contribution to addressing the problem of youth unemployment. Many initiatives at this time drew on public or charitable funding. What was unusual about this particular project was that the founders sought to create an entity which was not reliant on taxpayers or charity donors. The idea was to create a business, owned, not by individuals but by a charity which set the aims of offering substantial periods of paid work, experience and vocational training to people who were at a disadvantage in the labour market.  Southern Task Educational Trust was formed to offer  expertise and guidance rather than capital. A commercial bank loan provided the start-up money, underwritten with a loan guarantee from the Wellcome Foundation and in 1983 Camden Garden Centre Ltd was formed, wholly owned by Southern Task Educational Trust. . Long-term unemployed youngsters were employed at the outset and today opportunities are offered to older people, women returning to work, ex-offenders, people living with mental health problems, homeless people and those recovering from drug or alcohol addiction as well as unemployed young people.

Southern Task Educational Trust, has the following mission:

"To educate and train young people and adults over the statutory school leaving age in work and life skills likely to enable them subsequently to find satisfactory employment  both by arranging periods of work experience and otherwise and by such means also to relieve poverty and improve social welfare and conditions of life among such people."

Camden Garden Centre has never been dependent on external funding. However, to remain competitive during difficult economic times, the company has occasionally had to cut trainee numbers as it spends four times more than the average UK garden centre on training. But whilst a mainstream employer might see training as a cost, Camden Garden Centre develops its trainees (and staff) as a long term investment for the individual and the community. In 2007, to maintain higher trainee numbers than the company could then afford, CGC applied to the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation which generously donated a grant for five years contributing to the costs of employing the Head of Social Enterprise, Development and Training who manages the Trainee Scheme and the outreach work in CGC. This source of funding is shortly coming to an end, but the economic situation is not. 

Appeal for Trainee Sponsorship

Camden Garden Centre's role in providing vocational training and employment to people who find themselves excluded from the labour market is even more important in straightened times.  Southern Task Educational Trust and CGC very much want to be able to continue to develop the trainee scheme and the outreach work.

To do this, Southern Task Education Trust is seeking business or individual partners who are prepared to consider sponsoring a named trainee at Camden Garden Centre or contributing to other aspects of the Trainee Scheme as might suit them. A full-time trainee position costs £18,500 p.a. 

Contact STET@camdengardencentre.co.uk