Backyard Bolters at your service

There’s a symphony of mowers, whipper snippers and blowers when the Backyard Bolters team gets to work.

The social enterprise is providing quality garden services to its customers while building confidence and experience in young people.

Backyard Bolters is part of the Bolting Ahead Inc charity, founded by Richard Holt, and aims to create opportunities for young people through employment.

Richard says it started about two years ago, when a group of participants did some work at a house in Dayboro.

“They decided they loved working outdoors and working as a team,” he explains.

Richard says they wanted to see how they could work, as a team, in a paid work environment.

“A lot of young people don’t have the confidence to get out there and look for jobs,” he says.

With support, they have created their own business from the ground up, coming up with the name, the website and marketing concepts.

“Some of the original guys are still there, others have gone out and got their own jobs mowing,” Richard says.

Backyard Bolters gives participants experience and a pathway to other employment. The charity Bolting Ahead Inc employs them on a part-time contract and they are paid an hourly rate for their work.

There are six on the payroll, plus a group of young ‘bolters’ learning the trade as part of its academy program.

Richard says the benefits go beyond gaining valuable experience and earning a wage.

“The biggest thing we’ve seen in the last 12 months is we’ve seen how close they’ve become as a team ... working together and socialising together. They have built strong friendships,” he explains.

“For a lot of them, that’s more important than the money (they’re earning).”

They have clients in Redcliffe, North Lakes, Caboolture, Petrie, Strathpine, Dayboro and Brisbane.

“It’s become a fully-fledged business. A lot of people are doing it (booking services) because of the quality of the workmanship,” Richard says.

He’s hoping to expand the roster from two days a week to three or four days and would welcome new clients.

“The goal is to employ them full-time,” Richard says.

“It’s a social enterprise and it would be good to have the support of the community on this.”

Richard says it’s not only a chance to help Backyard Bolters participants, but to have work done by a group focused on delivering a quality service.

To find out more, head to the website