Asylum seeker program
This is a ten week program for asylum seekers which we have created in partnership with the Refugee Council.
The course forms a part of the Empowering Asylum Seekers to Intergrate (EASI) program with the Refugee Council and is supported by the European Social Fund. The aim of the course is to engage the participants in meaningful activities that are practical, enjoyable and socially cohesive.
The course consists of two days English tuition held at the farm, and taught by Julia Brooks who has been a volunteer for four years at the farm and who has an extensive background in ESOL teaching and two days volunteering at the farm, integrating with the other farm volunteers and practicing their language skills in real life situations.
Most of the volunteer day activities are centred around gardening but they extend to broader farm activities. Each day includes some routine tasks such as watering and general garden maintenance, but we have also included much more exciting projects such as building the straw bale shed in the garden.
‘Is that a tyre or a window?’ asks Ashad