Members of the Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) in Laois enjoyed a taste of life on the farm when they visited the Slate Lodge Stud in Co. Kildare, as part of Laois Partnership Company’s Social Farming programme.
The four participants experienced the joys of getting close to nature, as they fed the animals during their tour of the Social Farm in Drumsru, Rathangan, which is run by Val and Una Joyce.
Liam Ramsbottom, Community Development Officer with the Social Inclusion & Community Activation Programme (SICAP), explained that Social Farming is about giving people with a range of challenges in life the opportunity to spend time and carry out activities on working family farms.
‘’The Irish Wheelchair Association service users really enjoyed their first day on the farm in Kildare. James from Portlaoise said he loved the horses and can’t wait to come back next week,” said Liam, emphasising the social inclusion benefits of Social Farming, which focuses on people’s potential rather than limitations.
Those who are socially, physically, mentally or intellectually disadvantaged have the opportunity to spend time on a family farm in a healthy, supportive and inclusive environment.
A person may choose to spend a fixed amount of time on the farm participating in activities they may be interested in, such as gardening or animal care or indoor activities such as baking bread or jam making.
A Social Farm is not a specialised treatment farm, rather it remains a typical working farm where people in need of support can benefit from relationship building through farm activities in a nonclinical environment.
While those participating in Social Farming activities may derive therapeutic benefit from it, this is not the main purpose or aim and the farmers are not playing the role of therapists. Social Farming supports people in living ordinary lives, interacting with their community and environment while developing their potential.
The four members of the IWA Laois branch will return to the Slate Lodge Stud one day a week as part of a ten-week programme, which is supported by SICAP in collaboration with Social Farming Ireland.
For more on Social Farming and the benefits it can bring to marginalised individuals within the community, contact 05786 61900 or email [email protected].
The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) is co-funded by the Irish Government, through the Department of Rural and Community Development, and the European Union, through the European Social Fund Plus under the Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training (EIST) Programme 2021 -2027.