Teenagers at risk of being drawn into a life of crime built two Celtic roundhouses for children to enjoy as part of a project to keep them on the straight and narrow.
The youngsters built the willow framed structures in the woods beside the Forestry Commission Wales Visitor Centre at Garwnant, near Merthyr Tydfil.
It was part of a partnership between the Forestry Commission Wales Woodlands for Learning (WfL) team and the Rhondda Cynon Taf Prevention team to engage with disaffected young local people and allow them to experience the calming effect of working in a woodland.
Five teenagers aged 14 to 16 worked with Forestry Commission Wales Education Officer Ross Evans and Out to Learn Willow, a Bridgend-based company specialising in teaching the traditional craft of willow weaving, to build the roundhouses.
The houses, which can each accommodate about five children, were built beside the storytelling circle next to the visitor centre and will be used on WfL team-led educational visits by schools.
Ross said, “Woodlands provide a stimulating outdoor learning environment and, hopefully, this project with the RCT Prevention team will help these youngsters to go on and achieve something worthwhile with their lives.
“They worked hard, braving midges and rain, to build the roundhouses and the skills they learned and the teamwork they demonstrated will put them in good stead for the future.”
The project was sponsored by the Arts Council of Wales Splash Arts Cymru programme, which aims to offer positive and constructive activities for 13 to 17 year olds.
This was the third year that Forestry Commission Wales and the RCT Prevention team had joined forces to work with disaffected youngsters in the area and teach them practical skills.
Last year, a group of eight young people helped construct the storytelling circle at Garwnant and, in 2009, a group of seven youngsters helped to develop an outdoor classroom area by building willow hurdles.
It’s hoped to continue the partnership next year, with Ross planning to extend his roundhouse village to provide a bigger outdoor learning environment at Garwnant.
