Down to Earth Project

Down to Earth offers life-changing experiences to south Wales’ most vulnerable groups through the medium of creating spectacular buildings with natural and sustainable materials as well as sustainable land management. Down to Earth merge innovation in health care delivery with innovation in education delivery – the result is a transformative approach to working with people, particularly the most vulnerable/disadvantaged and delivering community-wide change.

Down to Earth's housing development model involves working with vulnerable young people and adults to construct homes. This housing project will involve working with the following groups who will gain work experience and qualifications:

• Young people aged 16 to 24 years old – Not in Education Employment or Training (NEET) – improving mental health and education outcomes through sustainable construction.
• Asylum seekers and refugees – on English language acquisition and mental health improvement programmes through sustainable construction.

They have now published clinical research showing how sustainable construction can improve depression and anxiety. You can access this paper here. 

Down to Earth used their first investment for proof of concept work to develop the designs necessary to complete construction of six residential buildings that will form part of an affordable housing development scheme based in Swansea.

They used their second investment to develop a site upon which they can manufacture their buildings and deliver training.

Visit their website here: https://www.downtoearthproject.org.uk/