Melin Homes and Coleg Gwent: Empowering learners
Melin Homes has formed a successful partnership with Coleg Gwent's Learning Disability College in Cwmbran. This collaboration has brought lots of great experiences and positive outcomes to learners and residents alike.
Written by Will
—08 Jun, 2023
The partnership began when Melin received a request for help with plants and seeds for Coleg Gwent's rooftop garden. This initial interaction led to further collaboration, including the painting of outside benches at Melin’s Ty'r Felin offices last year.
Earlier this year, Coleg Gwent approached Melin for some further work experience opportunities. The students have since excelled in gardening and bench painting at Ty Cae Nant in Cwmbran, as well as tending to the gardens at Castle Court in Usk. Their exceptional work has received high praise, with other scheme managers requesting their assistance at additional housing schemes. The students have also been asked back to Castle Court for future gardening tasks, show just how much the residents there appreciated their work.
In addition to their physical contributions, the students have fostered meaningful connections with Melin's residents. They recently served a cream tea, using the college's own bone china, to the delighted residents of Ty Cae Nant. The students also brought along their choir, captivating the residents with their melodies.
The partnership has been transformative for the students, who have gained confidence and new skills through their work experience. It has also shown the value in bringing different generations together and showing how collaborative working can make our communities stronger.
We were keen to recognise the achievements of the learners from Coleg Gwent, so we were honoured to invite them to Ty Cae Nant to receive certificates of recognition from Melin CEO Paula Kennedy.
"Our partnership with Coleg Gwent has been extraordinary. The learners have made a fantastic contribution to our sheltered scheme communities, bringing their talents and enthusiasm to positively impact our residents' lives. We look forward to strengthening this partnership and providing meaningful experiences for both our residents and the learners from Coleg Gwent."
