It’s been another successful year for our Copper Foundation as the latest recruits come to the end of their year with us.

Starting in 2017, the Copper Foundation was set up with the aim of helping people struggling to find work a way back into employment.

The foundation’s recruits spend the year learning new skills such as concreting, fencing and general maintenance.  They’ll also work towards qualifications which will help them find new employment opportunities once their year with the foundation comes to an end.

Since 2017, 110 people have come through the foundation with many going on to secure jobs, either with Tai Tarian or one of our contractors. Those who have gone to work for us have found themselves in all manner of jobs including grounds maintenance, caretaking, repairs, roofing, with our arborist team or even becoming supervisors within the Copper Foundation and passing on their experiences to the next batch of recruits. Some have also gone on to start apprenticeships with us.

Maelgwyn Coleman has been there from the start as the Copper Foundation’s supervisor and has mentored all the recruits that have come through the initiative. He said:
“I love the job, seeing all these people coming through and learning new skills and going on to get further jobs. So many people’s lives have been changed as the result of the Copper Foundation and I still keep in touch with many of them and it’s great to hear how they’re doing now.”

Josh Parsons has been working on the foundation for the past year and said:
“I’ve really enjoyed myself, it’s been really good. I’ve learned a lot of new skills, it’s been hard but also rewarding. The support I’ve received from Maelgwyn and the other managers has been great, they really can’t do enough for you. They’ve all been a great help to me.”

The latest batch of recruits will start with the Copper Foundation in the autumn.