
The Ground UP support Syrian refugees with the skills and confidence to contribute to South West
On 9th of October The Ground UP will raise the roof on their first natural building programme, erecting the reciprocal roof made from locally grown larch and using traditional joinery techniques and hand tools; on the grounds of Embercombe an educational centre in the Teign Valley 7 miles south of Exeter.
During the 10 week programme the participants, who have all received refugee status and pursuing a career in construction, have been learning the skills required to construct the frame and roof of the roundhouse, whilst also teaching us a thing or two. Many were carpenters or builders in Syria before being forced to flee the country and haven’t been able to work for several years.
Mahmud, one of the participants on the programme, highlighted how hard this has been saying “I have worked every day for 15 years but this is the first day’s work I have done in the last 2. Do you know how that feels?”
The project aims to give people the opportunity to do creative and meaningful work, whilst also creating beautiful spaces to be used by them and other groups in years to come. We use only hand tools, so while we work the valley echoes with the sound of chisels on wood, hand saws tearing through timber and Syrian pop songs. The focus is on helping participants develop practical skills but also crucially to help improve mental and emotional well-being.
“This work is feeding the mind and the body” Fati, another participant, rather poetically put it.
About The Ground UP:
The Ground UP uses natural building to inspire and engage underrepresented groups, providing them with confidence and skills to integrate and contribute effectively and creatively to society. They believe that through the process of using entirely natural materials to create a beautiful and functional structures, in a safe and supportive environment, they can give participants skills and confidence which can have lasting positive effects on their lives. Whether this is equipping people with skills for employment in construction or any other field, practical skills useful to everyday life or a confidence in their own ability.
The Ground UP have seen first-hand how transformative it can be to allow people the chance to engage with their own environment in a very real way; to have a hand in building the spaces they use and, in the process, building something in themselves. This is where their passion and work lies.
Both founders Adam and Niaomh have worked extensively with refugees both here in the UK and at the Oinofyta refugee camp in Athens, Greece. Most of this work focused on trying to combat poor mental health and depression through creating opportunities for meaningful and creative work. This is included starting a tailor shop business in the refugee camp, recruiting and employing 25 residents to make bags for sale in the European and US markets, as well as setting up the Oinofyta community Workshop, a project giving residents a space to build furniture and small structures to furnish their rooms or apartments; and working with the residents to set up two community gardens.