Gardening Group Volunteer
The Holly Lodge Centre
We are seeking volunteers to join our Friday morning gardening team. You will assist students from a local specialist SEND school to help us in our thriving Victorian-style kitchen garden with planting, watering and harvesting our delicious fruit and vegetables.
We are seeking volunteers to join our Friday morning gardening team. Every Friday morning a group of students from a specialist SEND school join us to help us in our thriving Victorian-style kitchen garden with planting, watering and harvesting our delicious fruit and vegetables. You do not need to have any gardening knowledge as you will be guided by our experienced gardening team leads. Experience working with teens with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) is an asset, but not necessary as you will be guided by experienced professional carers. This is a great opportunity for anyone seeking to gain experience working with this population. The gardening group meets Friday mornings during term time during the growing season (April-July, September-October). The participants have quite complex needs and as such the learning outcomes for the participants are primarily occupational such as learning to follow instructions, manage transitions to new spaces, develop fine motor skills and learning to work as a team. You will support their carer and teachers in the realisation of their goals. You are a person who moves through the world with kindness and empathy for people with learning needs and disabilities. You are reliable and punctual, flexible, adaptable, and able to respond to sudden changes. You have curiosity and enthusiasm for learning new things. Many of the participants best thrive in an environment of routine so we require volunteers who are able to make a regular weekly commitment. This is a 10-week program so you must be available Friday mornings on a weekly or fortnightly basis for the duration of the term 2 May to 11 July and able to attend a training session on the morning of 11 April. You should have suitable physical fitness to do small gardening tasks such as planting, harvesting, watering, etc. We work outdoors in all but the most severe weather.
Befriending, Buddying & Mentoring,Gardening
Gardening
Basic IT Skills: using email and apps Excellent communication skills Basic Gardening skills are an asset, but not necessary. Knowledge of Makaton is an asset, but not necessary.
This is an excellent opportunity for anyone looking to gain skills and experience working with this population. We offer training and social events from time to time. We have a quiet space available for rest and refreshments. Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided. You will work outdoors in the beautiful setting of Richmond Park.
This is a once weekly role on Friday mornings from 9:30-12. The session is 10 weeks long running from 2 May to 11 July with a mandatory training session on 11 April. As you are paired one-to-one with a student, you will need to stay for the duration of the morning. There are no sessions on 23 and 30 of May.
TW10 5HS
Holly Lodge Centre, Holly Lodge, Richmond Park
We are located just off Sawyer's Hill Road in the heart of Richmond Park.
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