We believe in a society where people with a learning disability are active and connected members of society, where they have a meaningful occupation, and where their contribution is recognised and valued. To help build this society, we run farm-based programmes in Oxfordshire where people can engage in purposeful, outdoor activities that improve physical health and well-being, foster a sense of community, and allow the development and strengthening of skills and abilities. We have seen that this can change people’s lives.
Since 2013, FarmAbility has grown from running our outdoor day service for an initial cohort of 18 participants to supporting more than 60 co-farmers (our participants), across more than 70 sessions each week, throughout the calendar year at 4 different sites. At our partner host farms we run day-long group sessions on 1, 2 or 3 days per week. Up to 8 co-farmers attend each full day session with activities led by experienced Programme Leaders supported by volunteers.
Funding pressures, cuts and covid have led to support services for people with a learning disability being drastically reduced in recent years. Opportunities for meaningful development are rare, either in skills-based learning or the building of friendships and community. This can create acute social isolation and loneliness, exacerbating existing vulnerability. As people age and family support networks fall away older adults can drop between the cracks of a system. Not being able to access rewarding ‘work’ like experiences, denies a key part of adulthood, known to have an enormous impact on a person’s self-esteem, confidence and quality of life. People with moderate to severe learning disabilities are largely excluded from the world of work, with an employment rate of around 7%.
When our co-farmers come to us they get involved in a wide range of purposeful, real-life farm and work-based tasks, including farm animal care, egg collecting, cleaning, grading and packing, wildlife gardening and vegetable growing, orchard maintenance, conservation work and habitat creation, cooking and preserving, woodwork and outdoor crafts. Co-farmers also socialise together throughout the day and are encouraged to choose activities that match their interests and motivations. We also run outreach sessions on a monthly basis to a number of other partner projects and sites to ensure a rich variety of experiences throughout the year.
