Local MPs were put to work at Oxford Falls Grammar (OFG) on 25 November, when they joined Bushlink employees and school students for some early morning gardening on the school grounds as part of Bushlink’s School Inclusion Program.
Wakehurst Independent Michael Regan, Davidson Liberal Matt Cross and Pittwater Independent Jacqui Scruby left Federal Election talk at the school gate and grabbed hi-vis vests to help with tasks such as weeding, watering and searching for hungry caterpillars on the veggies! Bushlink presented the politicians with a certificate of appreciation for their support.
Bushlink is a social enterprise of Northside Enterprise, a community service organisation supporting people with disabilities, and a collaboration of local people, councils, schools and people with disability doing proper work.
The Bushlink teams use their environmental skills to transform specific areas of a school’s grounds or an external site and can include weeding, mulching or planting in bushland, kitchen gardens or school gardens. Supervisors are qualified in conservation, land management and disability support and they ensure that Bushlink employees and students get the most out of the experience.
Northside Enterprise’s Chief Executive Officer, Duncan Wakes-Miller, said they work with a number of schools across the Beaches, and it was ‘magic’ seeing Bushlink employees working with students and building relationships, and he’d like to see the initiative expand further, attract sponsorships and secure government backing.
“Bushlink perfectly exemplifies how we can combine social impact with environmental sustainability,” Mr Wakes-Miller said. “We also work on numerous community projects for council and corporate clients who need bush regeneration expertise and want to employee people with disability.”
Bushlink currently has job openings for both supervisors and individuals with disabilities.
For more information visit Bushlink.