Benefits for Participants

Social Farming benefits the health and wellbeing of participants in the following ways:

Physical Health:  general physical fitness; improved farming and other skills; being in a safe and peaceful environment which leads to less aggression; and physical work that can lead to improved diet and better sleep patterns.

Mental Health: improved self-esteem and well-being; restored feelings of worth; and increased self-confidence.

Social Benefits: increased social skills as participants come into contact with others, the farm family and those who visit the farm; acceptance by others; greater self-confidence and willingness
to try new things, meeting new people and making friends; greater independence and personal responsibility; and tackling social exclusion by integrating people.

“It’s helped me get my confidence back, just from working with other people, doing different things, cutting timber, working the cattle, fencing.” – Mental Health Participant

Benefits for Farm Families

Benefits for farm families are both economic and social. The social benefits for farm families include achievement and fulfilment through:

• Seeing the effects on the people who spend time on the farm;
• Making a difference in the lives of individuals; and
• Helping typically excluded people to become more included

There is a sense of personal achievement from working with participants, building relationships (working and friendships) with them and learning new skills in managing and supporting them in their daily work.

Many farm families get involved in social farming for reason other than financial, while many farms and organisations engage in farming for therapeutic and holistic reasons rather than economic motives.

Social Farming also makes farmers more aware of farm safety. Some farmers slow down to keep pace with participants and become less rushed/stressed in their own work. Social farmers tend to enjoy the company and camaraderie of working with participants as a team on the farm.

‘I would look forward to the company, farming is a lonely occupation’… – Mayo social farmer

‘It’s nice to have someone to work with’. – Cork social farmer

Benefits for Service Providers

Service providers have found that they are meeting the development and progression goals of clients in a very enjoyable way, with a light touch.

Key links between social farming and current health and social care thinking include:

• Person-centred – focusing on the whole person abilities rather than limitations
• Choice – social farming by its nature strengthens existing skills and develops new capabilities which enhance independent living and employment options.
• Social inclusion – expanding social contacts and promoting greater involvement in community life for those who may otherwise be socially isolated

Social farming can complement and contribute to mental health and social care policy and services by:

• Promoting overall mental health and wellbeing
• Linking with therapeutic service provision
• Supporting user-determined health plans and budget

Some find social farming to be a more natural “fit” for many participants then some of the other options on offer.

“Especially now since we’re trying to meet all this New Directions Policy…for the people we serve it’s not all about lovely buildings and lovely programmes, it’s about exploring this type of thing that works for people…” – Service provider