In association with our friends at Greencare at Norton we have small plot within Letchworth which has been developed as a market garden and is soon to have its own outdoor classroom.

If you like the outdoors, like getting your hands dirty and and happy to put a shift in ... this could be for you!

If you like the outdoors, like getting your hands dirty and and happy to put a shift in ... this could be for you!

You’ll join a a small team of volunteers from various backgrounds, challenges and needs … all happy to spend a couple of hours working at one of a number of sites … our garden at The Crescent (Letchworth), the allotment site at Green Care at Norton, or potentially the Standalone Farm at Letchworth.

The usual gardening tasks are required .. digging over, planting, cutting, maintenance, upcycling …just be prepared to get stuck in!

For many of the people we work with, the world of work will be but a distant memory and they really value an insight into what the workplace looks like today. We have a number of opportunities for you to come in and talk about your role, your typical day and what it's like to work for Altro.

Individuals who are happy to share their story in an engaging and authentic way ... all whilst demonstrating empathy and non-judgement toward our participants

The format of these sessions can be tailored to suit the occasion and the individual.

It can be very informal … a conversation with one or more individuals over a coffee … simply talking about your role, your day, your life in work and answering any questions.

Or it can be more structured … standing up in front of a group of 6-8 participants in a classroom setting … without or without some slides or prompts.

Either way, the talking bit need only last around 20-30 mins … the rest of the time is answering queries and, as important, listening to their stories and challenges.

We run a number of courses for small groups of between 5-7 individuals. Understandably, participants will often progress at different paces ... sometimes needing that extra little bit of support in getting their heads around the given topic.

All they often need are some gentle words of encouragement, reassuring them that they are OK, and not the only one who might find this topic tricky. Or some 1:1 support, guiding them to find a way forward for themselves.

If you've patience, understanding and can find your way around a laptop and smartphone, then this is a hugely rewarding activity to undertake.

For those courses we run that require the use of IT (laptops, phones etc), participants often need a little hand holding … just being available to show someone where the ‘return key’ is or what a ‘web address’ is. Nothing too technical, just some of the day to day tech tasks we take for granted.

A volunteering session is typically a couple of hours.

It's been a long time since many of the people we work with will have set foot in a current-day workplace. The opportunity to both see and experience a business environment first hand is invaluable. Simply walking around a building or offices, interacting with staff and getting to ask questions we've found have a big impact on the mindset of the individuals involved.

If you think you could take a small group on a tour of the Altro site ... maybe inviting 1 or 2 staff to talk about their roles on the way ... then give this a go!

Liaising with your facilities team at Altro, this involves taking one or more individuals on a short walk around the offices at Altro … being engaging and informative along the way!