What is
'care farming' ?
1. What is 'care farming' ?
Care
farming
offers
experience on farms and other agricultural spaces
to vulnerable adults and young people.
2.
What
do they gain ? By working
together in caring for animals, growing crops and maintaining woodland,
they improve their physical health, well-being and self-confidence and
learn to appreciate the natural world. Working as part of a
team
is also a new and challenging experience.
3.
What kinds of people have benefited ? A broad group of
people, able-bodied and disabled, including those with mental health
problems, physical or learning disabilities, people with drug or
alcohol addiction, disruptive children and youngsters at risk of social
exclusion. They are often people who have never experienced life
outside cities.
4.
Are
there
any
care farms locally ? Care farming
started in the Netherlands but there are already 160 care farms in the
U.K. including a number in north-west England. You can find more
details on the National Care Farming Initiative website - www.ncfi.org.uk which also offers
advice on how to set up a care farm.
5. So it's just a bit of hard labour
on a farm ? No. It's based on a structured programme with
therapeutic aims. There's usually a lot of group work, walking in
the countryside, feeding animals, and opportunities
for self-expression. It's also of value to the farming community since
it offers another source of income. And at a time when resources are
scarce, care farming placements at £30 a day are good value to
schools and social services.
6. What's the response of people who
have worked on a care farm ? You can find out more from the
website of Jamie's Farm - www.jamiesfarm.org.uk
and Church
Farm - www.churchfarmardeley.co.uk