The Children’s Centre’s Community Farm is hosting a number of taster sessions for anyone interested in its Inclusion Programme. The programme was launched last year thanks to funding from Manx MENCAP. Following the receipt of this funding, The Community Farm sought to develop its provision to the Island’s disability community. After initial discussions with groups and organisations that work with and for people with disabilities, several common questions arose. These centred on how people with disabilities can access further and higher education, how they can develop social and vocational skills and enhance their employment opportunities. As with all of the educational programmes at The Community Farm, the Inclusion Programme aims to develop confidence, self-esteem, motivation, communication, and interaction with others.
The next ‘Inclusion Programme’ starts on September 15, but a series of taster sessions will be held at the Community Farm during the summer, with the first session on July 25 from 10am to noon at the farm. There will then be five more taster sessions every Friday – at the same times and in the same location – from August 1 to August 29. There is a nominal charge of ?2 per taster session. Llinos Ellis, Inclusion Officer at The Community Farm, said the taster sessions were an ideal opportunity to experience and understand what the programme was about. She said:
“The Inclusion Programme has been successful, and we have seen a huge improvement in the individuals who have taken part in the first programme. They have all blossomed and increased in confidence which could potentially help them get into volunteering and employment. Some of the first intake are working towards Open Award Level 1 qualifications in Horticulture Skills and Developing Skills for Employment. We would welcome anyone who thinks they can benefit from the programme to come along and meet us at one of the taster sessions to see for themselves the benefits it can bring, and ask us any questions they may have.”
The Inclusion Programme’s taster sessions covers animal husbandry, horticulture, team building, craft work, workshop skills, and using produce grown on the farm to cook meals (often referred to as ‘field to fork’). The programme is tailored to suit individuals and runs from September to July.
For more details about the Inclusion Programme contact the Community Farm by emailing farm@thechildrenscentre.org.im or call 01624 610540.
Photo - At the Community Farm’s herb garden are 2013/2014 Inclusion Programme students (left to right) Tom Dawe, Tom Hall, Peter Taylor and Emily Davies. There is a series of taster sessions in July and August for anyone interested in the 2014/2015 Inclusion Programme which starts in September.
