Training and Inclusion
Purpose and rationale
Stonebridge City Farm & Gardens provides structured, inclusive training opportunities within a real working environment. Our approach is designed for people who are often poorly served by traditional education, training, or employment pathways, including those living with disability, poor mental health, additional learning needs, or social isolation.
We do not treat inclusion as an add-on. It is embedded in the way the farm operates day to day. Real work, clear roles, and predictable routines create the conditions for learning, stability, and progression.
Inclusion in Practice
Our Mission
At Stonebridge, inclusion is built through relationships, not just access. We recognise that many volunteers arrive having felt excluded or overlooked elsewhere, so we focus on creating a space where people are genuinely seen and valued.
We do this by fostering meaningful connections, encouraging people to work together, build friendships, and feel part of a shared purpose. Volunteers are not treated as extras or temporary helpers, but as integral members of the farm community whose presence matters.
Our Training Model
Training at Stonebridge is delivered through participation in the daily work of the farm. This includes animal care, horticulture, site maintenance, food preparation, visitor support, and team-based tasks.
Key features of the model:
- Learning through practical, meaningful work
- Clear expectations and defined responsibilities
- Repetition and routine to support skill development
- Flexibility to adapt roles to individual capacity and confidence
This model supports both accredited and non-accredited learning outcomes and complements formal education provision by offering applied, experiential learning.
Outcomes and Impact
Our outcomes focus on stability, participation, and progression. These are monitored through attendance, retention, skill development, and qualitative feedback.
Observed impacts include:
- Improved routine and reliability
- Increased confidence through responsibility
- Development of practical and transferable skills
- Reduced isolation through sustained participation
- Improved readiness for education, volunteering, or employment
For many participants, Stonebridge provides a bridge between support services and more formal pathways.
Partners and Learners
Our training and inclusion work supports:
- Education providers seeking applied learning environments
- Funders investing in long-term, preventative approaches
- Community organisations requiring inclusive training settings
- Students and trainees gaining practical experience in a live context
We work collaboratively with partners to align expectations, manage risk appropriately, and ensure that placements are purposeful and well supported.
Strategic Value
Stonebridge offers funders and education partners:
- A cost-effective, preventative model of inclusion and connectivity
- High retention through continuity and trust
- An established community-based infrastructure
- Evidence of sustained engagement rather than short-term intervention
Our work reduces pressure on statutory services by providing a stable, non-clinical environment where people can build capacity over time.