At present there are very few historically disadvantaged individuals (HDI’s) registered as landscape architects in South Africa , nor are there many HDI’s currently studying landscape architecture at the two recognised South African programmes. However, NLA has illustrated a commitment to employment equity and aims to educate HDI’s through bursary grants , training courses and ‘apprenticeship’ in the fields of landscape architecture , environmental planning and administration, aiming to eventually employ them in a full time capacity.

To date the firm has trained eight people (four in administrative activities, two in environmental planning and three in landscape design) as well as having provided either full or partial bursaries to six landscape architecture students studying at the University of Pretoria.

NLA actively mentors candidates registered with the South African Council for the Landscape Architectural Profession (SACLAP) in preparation of writing their professional exams. NLA is currently sponsoring bursaries for three students studying landscape architecture at the University of Pretoria who will be employed by NLA upon obtaining their qualifications at the end of 2011.

NLA have worked on community driven projects in Atteridgeville, Alexandra, Katlehong and Soweto. Through the Atteridgeville and Saulsville Environmental Forum, the University of Pretoria and Work to Win, NLA have co-ordinated projects that involved the design of neighbourhood parks and school grounds. Community participation, appropriated technology, local skills and limited funding are the focus of these schemes. NLA is involved in a project that assists the Riversands Farm School (Diepsloot) with technical advice on the upgrading of their school grounds.