By VICTORIA STONE-MEADOWS
TWO groups of young people celebrated finishing up six months of hard work as part of the Green Army program at Birdsland Reserve in Belgrave last week.
The groups have been working on environmental management along the Puffing Billy corridor and on various Landcare properties throughout the Dandenong Ranges.
The have been working on environmental rehabilitation including weed control, re-planting native species and track maintenance.
Ellen Mitchell from Conservation Volunteers Australia said the program had been invaluable for skills development for the volunteers.
“They have leaned environmental skills, teamwork and leadership skills,” she said.
“They are mostly workplace ready through the skills they have leaned they now have responsibility and accountability for their work and for each other.”
La Trobe MP Jason Wood was on hand to present the groups with their certificates and praise their good work.
“It’s fantastic to see these young people working together as a team;” he said.
“Learning new skills for jobs and getting outdoors, it’s such a great opportunity and I’m very proud of them all.”
One third of the volunteers who participated in this round of the program have moved on to employment, while others have moved into further study.
