The River Park landscape was once a vibrant and active place, shaped by industry and community life. As local industry declined, a lack of infrastructure investment and maintenance led to deterioration across the area. Significant improvements are now underway — and the Green Skills Academy has been developed to ensure this progress is sustained, while also delivering tangible benefits for local people.

The Academy aims to train 84 participants in the practical skills needed to maintain the River Park’s infrastructure and greenspaces. Participants will work towards accredited qualifications including CSCS, health and safety, first aid, working at height, and more. Training will be tailored to individual needs, with additional support available for participants experiencing health conditions.

Alongside practical training, the programme will offer targeted employability support, helping participants progress into a positive destination such as employment, further education, or continued specialist training.

Dave Paterson, Green Skills Academy Lead and Fife Council Community Manager, said:

“We are pleased to be working with Rural Skills Scotland to maintain the River Park. While maintenance is essential, it is perhaps more important that this work provides tangible benefits for local people.

Through training, skills development and employability support, the Green Skills Academy will help people move into employment, further education or continued training in a specialised subject.”

Stewart Christie, Rural Skills Scotland Director, said:

“We are delighted to have been appointed to deliver the Green Skills Academy in the River Park at Levenmouth. This programme is about more than maintaining an important local asset. It’s about equipping people with practical, transferable skills that can open up real opportunities for employment and further training.

"By working closely with Fife Council, we look forward to supporting local people to develop confidence, gain accredited qualifications, and play a direct role in caring for a park that belongs to the community.”

River Park Programme Manager Helen McCafferty is delighted to see the Green Skills Academy kick off:

“The Green Skills Academy is a vital part of the long-term vision for the River Park Programme. It ensures that the significant investment being made in the park is protected and sustained, while also embedding real benefits for people and communities.

“The Academy demonstrates the shared commitment of all partners to a programme that is not short-term or just about the park, but a programme designed to serve the people of Levenmouth and the wider area for years to come. By investing in skills, training and local capacity, we are securing both the future of the River Park and the opportunities it can provide.”

The Green Skills Academy places local people at the heart of the River Park’s future — supporting skills, opportunity and long-term care of this important community asset.